On Thursday, the International Olympic Committee held a virtual press conference to convey further details and figures concerning the vaccination of athletes while elaborating on the IOC’s efforts to ensure health and safety before the Olympic games are set to take place in Tokyo on July 23.
IOC President Thomas Bach told reporters during a virtual press conference that he will not be visiting Japan until the middle of July.
"This has been discussed with Tokyo 2020 whether it would really make sense to go back and forth," Bach said during the virtual news conference. "Going to Tokyo, having to respect the quarantine, to be there for a couple of hours and then after two weeks going again having to respect quarantine. We came to the conclusion that it would be better I arrive mid-July in Tokyo, in time for the Games and all the preceding meetings and visits and organization issues."
On Wednesday, the IOC said that about 75% of prospective Olympic and Paralympic athletes received their COVID-19 vaccine or are scheduled to do so.
It predicts more than 80% will be vaccinated by the time the games start.
According to the Associated Press, only 3.66% of the Japanese population were fully vaccinated as of Monday.
Although the IOC and Japanese organizers are pushing for the Games to happen, canceling them could have huge financial ramifications.
The AP reported that $15.4 billion has been spent by Japan to organize the Olympics, and the IOC has contributed about $1.5 billion.
In other news, the IOC announced that Brisbane is set to be elected host of the 2032 Olympics on Thursday. Members of the IOC will confirm it on July 21.
The last time Australia hosted the Olympics was in 2000.