An international competition in gymnastics, an Olympic sport, is scheduled to be held in Tokyo in November. It will be the first such event hosted by Japan's capital since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
About 80 athletes and coaches from Japan and three other countries will participate.
For the event, PCR tests will be repeatedly implemented even before the participants enter Japan, their range of activities in Japan will be limited, and measures to prevent infections will be thoroughly implemented at the event venue.
Because it can serve as a test case for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held next summer, the government and other entities are cooperating on preparations for the event.
The event, the Friendship and Solidarity Competition, is organized by the International Gymnastics Federation.
The event will be held in the Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on Nov. 8.
Japanese, American, Chinese and Russian athletes will form mixed teams and hold competition matches.
Famous gymnasts, including Olympic medalists, are scheduled to participate in the competition. Up to 2,000 spectators, or a quarter of the capacity of the Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium's stands, will be admitted.
Under the plan for the event, athletes from overseas will receive PCR tests at least three times in total, including weekly tests starting two weeks before their departure from their countries.
They will fly on chartered planes or use similar special transportation to avoid contact with other passengers. The athletes from overseas will enter Japan four days before the start of the event.
During their stay in Japan, they will receive PCR tests daily to confirm they are negative for the novel coronavirus, and have their health condition monitored by temperature checks and other means.
They will not use public transportation, but will move from airports to accommodation facilities and training sites in buses exclusively for them.
They will not be allowed, in principle, to go out to places other than designated sites, and will have meals in banquet halls allocated to each country at their hotel.
During the event, Japanese athletes will also stay in the same hotel and receive the same medical tests as those given to foreign athletes. Their activities will also be limited in the same way as those of their foreign counterparts.
At the event venue, passageways exclusively for the athletes will be set up, and the athletes will be obliged to disinfect their palms and fingers each time they enter and leave the venue.
Masks will be distributed to the athletes and they will be required to wear the masks at all times, except when performing and practicing. They will be prohibited from sharing chalk powder.
The organizer will require athletes from all countries to submit letters of commitment in which they promise to comply with the rules and restrictions.
Concerning entry and exit of foreign athletes who will participate in the Tokyo Olympics, the government, the Tokyo metropolitan government and the organizing committee are discussing the issue.
They are coordinating a scheme in which the athletes will be exempted from the obligation to self-isolate in accommodations for 14 days on the condition that they submit their action plans, which limit their range of activities during their stay in Japan, and letters of commitment in which they promise to comply with the restrictions.
The government will not demand that the athletes in the November event to self-isolate for the period, if they comply with the restrictions on their activities, according to sources.
International sports events have been canceled one after another since February this year, when infections with the virus began spreading globally.
The International Judo Federation had planned to hold its international event, the Tokyo Grand Slam 2020, in December, but announced in September the cancellation of the event.
Concerning the planned gymnastics event, government officials and members of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee are also taking part in discussions about immigration procedures for foreign athletes and staff for the event.
A senior official of the organizing committee said, "This is a good opportunity to demonstrate that it is possible to hold international events even under the novel coronavirus crisis. We want to proactively share information with the organizers and identify the issues for the Olympics in next summer."
Strict rules overseas
International sports events and matches of professional sports leagues overseas, which had been temporarily suspended due to spreading infections with the novel coronavirus, have recently begun to resume.
Restrictions are imposed on athletes' activities to prevent infections. If the athletes do not comply with the rules, in many cases, they are disqualified from playing or made to pay fines. Thus, violators face strict penalties.
The organizer of the French Open tennis tournament, which was held in September and October, warned that penalties, including permanent expulsion from the event, would be imposed on players who did not comply with the restrictions on their activities.
Organizers of the Paracanoe World Cup in Hungary and of the World Triathlon in Germany in September also decided to disqualify athletes from races if they violated the rules.
There are also moves to hold the management of teams accountable if players belonging to them violate the rules.
The National Hockey League in North America, which resumed matches in August, isolates players who violate the restrictions for 10 to 14 days and watches their actions during the period.
In addition, the NHL stipulates that teams to which the violating players belong will lose their right to participate in rookie drafts, or must pay fines.
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