Australia’s softball workforce on Tuesday grew to become the primary athletes to land in Japan for the Olympics, in a significant milestone for the pandemic-postponed Games, which proceed to face controversy. The “Aussie Spirit” squad touched down in Narita airport outside Tokyo along with their support staff and were immediately ushered off for coronavirus testing. Sporting facemasks and wearing their green and gold uniforms, they were met by greeters sporting hats decorated with Olympic and Paralympic mascots. They waved to cameras and snapped selfies as they filled out paperwork before testing. Everyone in the delegation has been vaccinated but they still faced testing before departure and on arrival, and will also be subject to stringent restrictions during their stay.
The arrival will be a boost for organisers who are battling persistent public opposition and doubts about whether the Games can, or should go ahead.
Much of Japan, including Tokyo, is under a virus state of emergency, and polls largely show a majority of Japanese want the Games further delayed or cancelled altogether.
But organisers say detailed virus rulebooks will keep participants and the public safe and note that around 80 percent of those in the Olympic Village will be vaccinated.
Australia’s softball team said they were prepared for the rules and happy to be getting back to play after pandemic disruption. For some, Tokyo 2020 could be their last shot at Olympic glory, with softball not featuring at Paris 2024.
“We know it’s going to be a bit of a long trip over, we know we’re going to go through lots and lots of Covid testing,” mentioned participant Jade Wall, because the squad ready to go away Sydney.
“But look, we’re all ready for it, we wish to do every thing that we will to ensure that we’re secure after we get there and we’re secure whereas we’re in Japan as properly.”
VACCINES FOR JAPAN ATHLETES
The team will head from the airport straight to their training base in Ota city, around 100 kilometres (about 60 miles) north of Tokyo.
The rules will be strict. No family members are allowed, with just 10 staff members travelling with the squad.
And the entire delegation will be kept to a single hotel floor for sleeping, eating and working out at the gym.
“The only reason why (they) would be leaving the hotel is to go to the ballpark and back. They will be having less daily contact with the public than they would in Australia,” Softball Australia CEO David Pryles mentioned.
But the journey continues to be a “enormous” moment for the team, who had their Olympic preparations interrupted by the pandemic and have not played together since February 2020, he told AFP.
The squad will be playing local teams and winnowing down athletes to a 15-woman side before moving into the Olympic Village on July 17.
Their first fixture — against the hosts — will kick off Olympic competition on July 21, two days before the opening ceremony.
Many cities around Japan have scrapped training camps for Olympic athletes over virus fears.
But Ota’s Mayor Masayoshi Shimizu told reporters Monday that the city was proud to “offer support to show our friendship” and keep long-running ties with Australia.
In one other signal of momentum in the direction of the Games, vaccinations of Japanese Olympic athletes start later Tuesday.
They’ll be leaping the queue as Japan’s comparatively sluggish vaccine rollout up to now solely applies to medical employees and the aged.
Just over seven % of individuals in Japan have up to now obtained a primary dose, with round 2.5 % absolutely vaccinated, although the tempo has picked up in current days.
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