This archive report was first published on 10 May 2021.
May 10, 2021 - The Tokyo Olympics are set to take place in just a few months, but a new coronavirus surge in Japan has sparked concerns about the safety of the event.
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has weighed in on the issue, saying that she believes a discussion about the Olympics is necessary given the current situation.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, made her comments ahead of the Rome WTA tournament.
“For me, I feel like if it’s putting people at risk and if it’s making people very uncomfortable, then it definitely should be a discussion, which I think it is as of right now,” Osaka said.
More than 10,000 athletes from 200 countries and regions are set to travel to Tokyo for the Games, with a decision on how many domestic fans — if any — can attend to be taken in June.
Osaka also confirmed that she had been vaccinated, saying that she believes it’s up to the host country to make decisions about safety protocols.
