IT’S going to be a very different Olympic Games.

At an online media briefing about the Tokyo Olympic Games earlier this week, Sarah Keane, President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI), said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is determined the Games will take place in Tokyo next year.

“President Bach says it will go ahead, and from a public health perspective we feel it is possible. Our athletes deserve this shot, and our challenge is to protect them and those around them. The athletes want to go, no matter what,” she pointed out.

The IOC is working on nine different vaccines for Covid-19 together with the World Health Organisation (WHO), “but the plan is to go ahead with, or without, a vaccine. One way or another these will be a very different Games,” OFI Chef de Mission, Patricia Herbele pointed out.

She said pre-Games camps in which athletes prepare and acclimatise can be run safely. “But there’ll be another four meetings between now and early December and one will be around rules of behaviour. There will be strict guidelines about what athletes and staff can and cannot do.

“Athletes and staff may have to leave within 48 of their competition roster, and we’re looking at that ourselves. It’s about the responsibility to those still competing. We can’t have athletes who are finished risking the health of others. And the code of conduct won’t just be around behaviour, it will be about movement. Athletes won’t have the freedom and the recreation time they are used to,” Herbele explained.

“We will have to manage people’s expectations about what they think are their rights but we have a responsibility for keeping things safe. If we are grey and broad there will be issues. It’s an uncomfortable position to be in when you are dealing with young people’s expectations,” she added.

Some athletes will go straight to the Olympic Village while others will go to the official Team Ireland pre-Games camp in Fukoroi or into regional camps. There will be constant testing and health-checks and monitoring throughout the Games, and even after returning home.

“Some 42% of the Olympic sports qualification process is not yet complete, and we have sports that can qualify up to June 28th,” Herbele pointed out. “As we move through this current situation we may have a second wave. We can’t be sure all events will go ahead. It may lead to criticism, but it’s the reality of what we’re dealing with now.”

In the event of the Games being cancelled, Sarah Keane commented: “Financial decisions may have to be made at a certain point and that will come before our Board next year. There could be quite a serious financial hit there.” Sherrard added: “We already have exposure in that regard but we have to have things locked down so the cut-off dates will be probably two months before Games.”