ALREADY struggling to keep things in order before the country hosts the prestigious Olympics Games in July this year, Japan is now facing a stiff opposition from the local populace over hosting of the event. The Olympics 2020, postponed to 2021, due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic are still scheduled to be held with new safety protocols including no travel permission to overseas fans.

 

However, now with even the local people taking to on-line petitions against the Games it may undergo another decision shift in the coming days. The organisers are banking on the successful hosting of various other sports in other parts of the world under bio-bubble but their planning can be scuttled by the second/third wave of the pandemic that is sweeping across continents. The latest surge is not only swift with newer mutants of the virus, it has come with higher fatalities.

 

These factors make it mandatory for the Olympic organisers to think twice before going ahead with the scheduled programmes. Hosting a huge number of athletes for a considerable time is fraught with great danger. The latest example was the limited-team IPL failing to adhere to the laid-down protocols.