Society

IOC: Most Tokyo Games athletes to be vaccinated

May 13 (NHK) - The International Olympic Committee has indicated that most athletes at the Tokyo Games will get vaccinated.

The IOC held an online Executive Board meeting on Wednesday. Board members were informed of preparations for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams gave a news conference after the meeting. He spoke on coronavirus vaccines that will be provided by Pfizer and BioNTech.

He said the IOC estimates "the large majority" of those in the Athletes' Village will be vaccinated. He did not cite a number, but said it is "large and growing."

Sources close to the matter told NHK that the IOC now expects about 70 percent of the athletes and other representatives to be inoculated before joining the games.

Adams also spoke about negative views in Japan on holding the events as infections continue. He said the games will take place safely, saying the vaccination program will be a "very clear message" to the Japanese people.

Meanwhile, Tokyo organizing committee president Hashimoto Seiko said it is unacceptable that calls against holding the games and joining them have been directed at individual athletes. She also said officials should create a system in which athletes can prepare with peace of mind so they can say they want to do their best with confidence.

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