After a year-long delay due to COVID-19, the Tokyo Olympics officially start on July 23^rd and will run until August 8^th. However, there’s still a couple of weeks until the event, and with certain obstructions to the Games popping up, such as the banning of spectators due to a rise in COVID cases in Tokyo, it’s an excellent time to go over the Tokyo Olympics—the games being shown and how the Olympics have adapted to COVID.

The Tokyo Olympics: Changes

The major change to the Tokyo Olympics will be the aforementioned banning of all spectators during the event. The reason for this ban is because Tokyo will be under a state of emergency throughout the event. Instead of delaying the event yet again, organizers will reduce the risk of infection during the Olympics by ridding the arenas of spectators.

Along with the ban, athletes will be tested for COVID every day of the event. However, athletes will not be required to receive their vaccinations, though the IOC expects most athletes to have received their vaccinations by July 23^rd.

The Tokyo Olympics: Sports Highlights

Not all changes to the Tokyo Olympics revolve around COVID, however. A few new sports and disciplines will be shown at the event, and they are definitely worth mentioning!

In total, six new sports will be broadcasted during the event, and out of those six, four will be making their debut.

Two of the “new” sports, baseball and softball, were previously cut from the Olympics in 2005 after a vote from the IOC. They will be making their long-awaited return in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.