TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese footballer Nahomi Kawasumi has confirmed she will not take part in this month’s Tokyo Olympic torch relay after she decided to withdraw from last year’s event due to concerns about COVID-19 pandemic.
Kawasumi, who plays for Sky Blue FC in U.S. Women’s Professional Soccer, had just said before the Games were canceled last year that she was pulling out of the relay due to fear. she could get the virus or catch others if she traveled back from the United States. .
Other members of the Japanese World Cup-winning team in Japan will use the Olympic flame to light the torch to officially start the relay.
“Again, I refuse to be a torch relay runner,” Kawasumi hit Monday.
“I came to this conclusion because the infectious disease problem has not yet been resolved and I live in the United States. ”
The United States has recorded more than 530,000 deaths due to COVID-19 while Japan has recorded less than 9,000, according to a Reuters account.
Kawasumi’s comments came when Tokyo organizers on Monday formally announced the start of the torch relay as expected on March 25 from the J-Village training center in Fukushima.
Organizers have a unique task in planning the largest multi-sport event in the world at the time of a pandemic. They have difficult decisions about allowing overseas fans and how many viewers in general are allowed into venues.
The ‘Grand Start’ ceremony and the first part of the torch relay on the first day will not be open to the public as the organizers reduce the number of participants and simplify the program. to help prevent the spread of the new crown fungus.
Organizers will hold a press conference later Tuesday on the COVID-19 special missions they are planning for the torch relay.
The Olympics will take place from 23 July to 8 August and the Paralympics from 24 August to 5 September.
Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Edited by Peter Rutherford