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© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Coates gets backlash after saying Olympics are on, even in state of emergency
By STEPHEN WADE and YURI KAGEYAMA TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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obladi
That's exactly what the IOC and LDP need: A Strong Backlash.
Let's vaccinate Japan first!
Scarce
John Coates needs to be replaced ASAP. First though, he needs to make a public statement himself cancelling the Olympics.
klutzman
Someone like Naomi Osaka taking a stand on this lunacy would go a long way toward taking it to the IOC. I realize as an athlete she would like to get a gold medal and has many sponsors to think about. But she was so vocal about Black lives matter - yet why so neutral on Japan lives matter?
Ikebookuro
A quick JT poll:
if you think the Olympics should be cancelled
if you think the Olympics should be heldsnowymountainhell
Deservedly so...
Ikebookuro
For the first option (+)
For the second (-)
oldman_13
Of course he would say that, all about the $$$.
Cricky
Japan has officially spent $15.4 billion to prepare the games.Government audits suggest the figure is much higher. All but $6.7 billion is public money. So what figure did the Government audit "suggest?" They keep saying in very vague terms. Isn't an audit by its very nature specific? Or are we talking a J- audit where companies can lie and maintain a loss making Buisness? What's the current cost to tax payers? Would expect the opposition to be asking this.
Scarce
@klutz
She won't do that. You have to remember that all her sponsors support BLM, and do not support the cancellation. Her speaking out about a cancellation would be a suicide mission. She can only speak on revalant topics, of which the Olympics is not.
Yukijin
Bachlash
stickman1760
Coates has become the unofficial bogeyman of the IOC, reviled and despised everywhere. Feel sorry for Australia that this clown is representing them on the international stage.
snowymountainhell
We agree with this:The IOC deserves a“backlashing”, both figuratively and literally.
AG
Coates - retire mate, your time is over now that 100% of japanese population has no respect or any type of consideration for your person.
A Johnson
Japan can close it’s boarders to the IOC and Athletes. Oh wait, the boarders are closed. I guess IOC controls immigration now. Do they have any job openings? I’d really like to get back in to see my loved ones...
stickman1760
@ Ashley Shiba it’s sad but basically the IOC, the Japan govt and and the world has decided the Japanese public can be the sacrificial lamb in this suicide mission of staging the Tokyo Olympics. All we can do is try to protect ourselves and hope for the best. Good luck to you.
snowymountainhell
Really? @klutzman 6:51am
Look at her “headline” below:
She’s playing it safe.
snowymountainhell
Kei Nishikori is maybe more the ‘leader(?) who you’re thinking of @kluzman 6:15am
May 15 - “Nishikori openly questions Japan.”
GdTokyo
The IOC; an unelected quasi-state that engorges any country foolish enough to fall for its illusion of money and glory, that manipulates world-class athletes for profit and forces award cities to spend extravagant sums so the its “Olympic movement” (its like a bowel movement, only less satisfying) can continue.
BertieWooster
If the Japanese government had acted to deal with the pandemic, this wouldn't be a problem. As it is, because of their indecisiveness, they are putting the country at massive risk not only from disease and death, but financially. Politicians are elected to represent us, but this lot are going to bankrupt us, while at the same time drawing huge salaries.
Fighto!
Cancel this rubbish, stop the olympic disaster getting even WORSE.
Allowing 150,000 plus people in, to then move around various venues, hotels and cities in a pandemic that is NOT getting better is madness.
Tom Doley
The jgov should get international condemnation as well. Giving bogey covid figures to the world as if the situation is under control.
Antiquesaving
It is interesting that some say the world wants the games but a previous survey done in 5 countries seem to show a very different story.
95.6% in Thailand want the games postponed or cancelled.
The number in South Korea is 94.7%, China is 82.1%.
The USA is 74 4% and France is 70.6%.
5 countries all say the games should be cancelled or postponed.
Add that to the 80% of Japanese.
It doesn't seem that support is as universal as the IOC claims.
The survey was conducted by the Japan Press Research Institute.
tamanegi
An arrogant John Coates doesn't represent Australia. Just as a strong Dick Pound doesn't speak for Canadians.
Antiquesaving
Even with CBC trying everything to downplay what is going on in Japan ( CBC has the Canadian broadcasting rights for the games) and little is reported.
Still 50% of Canadians in the latest survey don't want Canada to send it's Olympic team to Tokyo.
Yubaru
Excuse me? What a condescending piece of .....sorry can't say it here!
New meaning to Y.O.L.O.
dbsaiya
If you say it enough, people will believe it. This is what they are trying to do. Every time the powers that be go against the advice of the medical community they get bit in their six big time. And the 'rona collects payment in body bags and debilitating side effects after recovery; no prisoners.
Michael Machida
I would like to give him a back lashing too!
Hideomi Kuze
New cases at Japan is about 15th worst in 220 countries and areas of whole world.
Quarantine by Japan's government is still loose, it failed even preventing inflow of variant from India.
Situation in Japan will deteriorate more and more.
KevinMcgue
He needs to go away. Japan needs to cancel the Olympics, and when the IOC demands a huge fine, the Japanese government should say they need the money to fight COVID. The Olympic stadium and all over venues should be used for vaccinations starting immediately. I know this will never happen. But it should
itsonlyrocknroll
The Olympics Games, once a genuine festival of sporting achievement and human endeavor, has become a cesspool of greed and politics.
The insufferable conceited IOC president Bach, backed up by the ignorant cretinous Coates, display a nauseating contempt for the risks to the people of Japan
The open bare faced arrogance is frankly repellent and shameful.
50,000 athletes, coaches, officials, plus support staff are to descend on one of the most densely populated cities in the world as the the J health care system is on the verge of collapse.
Lets be absolutely clear of the risk element, and dangers involved.
SARS-CoV-2 Variant Classifications and Definitions
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/variant-surveillance/variant-info.html
Bach and Coates, must be slapped down, and forcefully put in there place.
To suggest a what after all a sporting event, should continue even in the event of a state of emergency is deranged and insane.
An International Olympic Committee vice president, Coates was asked a few days ago by a Japanese reporter at an online news conference if the Tokyo Olympics would go ahead, even if a state of emergency were in force in Japan.
Coates replied: "Absolutely, yes."
The Government of Japan, have a duty of care to the people, time to make sure Coates et al. are put firmly in there place.
Time for a PR bloody nose.
Mark
""Bach who has said repeatedly that everyone must "sacrifice" to pull off these Olympics""
I don't see him "Sacrificing"!?
The only people who will sacrifice are the Japanese citizens which only 4% of them are vaccinated.
ian
He certainly deserves condemnation for his arrogance and insensitivity.
Anyway, it's interesting that now the so called SOE has taken a new serious meaning. Everyone else also dismissed it as nothing before.
Darius
The Olympics being held amid a deadly pandemic and most of the people in the hosting country don't even want it to happen is just sad. It's time for Japan to pull the plug and stand up to the IOC. Don't pay them any cancelation fee.
ian
Most people just swallow the headline and don't understand what they are reading even if they do read the articles.
Read the articles again, you will find that only 43% want the games cancelled. 54% want it to push through
Stephan
As we all know Bach was to scared for his own safety and canceled his trip to Japan then spewed hypocritical comments about the state of the games. Looking at the picture attached to this story it basically tells us all what we need to know concerning this waste of space Coates who is obviously calling in from the safety of his home in Australia a country that has handled the pandemic very well but he is still calling from home out of safety concerns in a country with nearly no Covid and telling us a country struggling and at the brink of medical collapse he doesn’t care and the show must go on at our expense. Dirtbag!
Rick Hepner
Follow the money.
itsonlyrocknroll
The IOC relies on selling television rights for 75% of its income, and Japan has officially spent $15.4 billion to prepare the games. Government audits suggest the figure is much higher. All but $6.7 billion is public money.
This is erroneous on every level imaginable.
With the benefit of hindsight, it is time now to consider whether these so called games are fit for purpose.
Maybe this is an opportunity for the global community to just forcefully take this once great sporting festival away from the IOC.
The financial rug could be simply be pulled right from underneath them.
Pim
That question should rather be addressed to the Japanese government.
@ian
???
HJSLLS
Who made Coates the Prime Minister of Japan? Because he is certainly acting like it by declaring what will and will not happen in the sovereign nation of Japan. Japan, take control over your country and specify what conditions would warrant a cancellation. Be clear about your limits!
robert maes
And here was i thinking Japan was an independent country but i now realise we are an IOC colony.
how can Japanese ministers sit there and not react to this arrogance ?
Shall i pay my taxes to Lausanne or Australia since Mr Coates decides here anyway?
Jim
It is heart breaking to see this buffoon statement at the same time another news where 50% of front line nurses wanting to quit due to over work and tiredness....
Unfortunately Japanese leadership is missing as always - someone to take a decision, stand for what is right for the Japanese people - everyone knows what needs to happen but will not say it - classic "bury the neck in sand & ignore ground reality" - long timers in Japan know this syndrome well.
Till now last 30 years this trait has only put Japan as a country on a back foot consistently but this time it is literally playing with peoples lives - unfortunately the normal Taro & Keiko are too meek/docile to demand a change from their government - so IOC leaders like Bach, Coe, Coates will continue to dictate what Japan needs to do in the absence of such leadership locally in Japan
stickman1760
To date, only one country has had the common sense to say it’s not taking part; North Korea. So there is plenty of shame to go around.
personally I’m ashamed Canada is sending athletes. You’d think we could forgo a couple of bronze medals.
Thomas Tank
Then why is Japan and its citizens paying for it!? Let the IOC foot the bill!!
Jim
@Thomas
Its just because IOC is more smart than the host countries - they structure their legal contracts such that they carry minimum risk but get maximum benefits out of these games - host countries in their greed to show how great they are end up spending tons of money for bragging rights.....
Off late IOC is facing issues that the number of countries wanting to host the olympics is on a decline though due to high costs, high risk, low returns for them....
Antiquesaving
Despite CBC's attempt at downplaying the issue and doing very little reporting, the latest survey ( unsurprisingly not reported by CBC but CTV) shows 50% of Canadians don't want Canada to send a team to Japan.
At least the Canadian gymnastics association had enough brains to pull out of the qualifying meet that will be held in Rio Brazil sightings the danger of going, this means no Canadian gymnastics team will be attending Tokyo and the international gymnastics association has said it may discipline Canada's gymnastics association for not going to Rio.
This is how the IOC in partnership with the governing sports bodies are basically blackmailing Athletes to be at the Olympics, refuse and your rankings will be affected and possible suspension at future events.
Sam Watters
Somewhere Sepp Blatter (FIFA) is smiling....he is no longer the most hated man in sports as Thomas Bach, Jon Coates, Sebastian Coe and that guy Parsons (who said the Olympics are the only way to give the handicapped a voice) have all replaced him.
gogogo
Cotes needs to think about his actions... no one would care if the Olymics were not held... he is only thinking about his own pocket.
r
In other words protect the privileged while the common people to fend for themselves. How many times in history has this happened?
Thomas Tank
Japan should just say, "act of God" and pull out.
pepelepew
— Foreign residents coming from India and Pakistan will be denied entry into Japan.
— Foreign athletes from India and Pakistan will be allowed entry without a quarantine.
My head is spinning, what's the safety logic behind these decisions?
Designer 02
This is ridiculous. The Japanese Government runs the country and can determine what does and doesn't happen there. The Olympics are an interesting spectacle in normal times, but iat the moment it is absolute nonsense to plow on with them. The resources financial, medical and otherwise should be used to fight the pandemic and help the people of Japan. In most countries the gov would fear being ousted but I guess that in Japan that is not going to happen. Lack of an effective opposition is a big problem in many aspects of Japanese society.
irreconcilable
Shinzo abe please come back and take the backlash you deserve for signing the contract to hold the Olympics. No one can blame this on the ioc. All of this is shinzo abe's legacy.
Alfie Noakes
Just when you thought it couldn't get more unhinged: Tokyo metropolitan schools are going to send 810,000 junior, middle and high school students to fill the empty seats at Olympic venues.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/bf543bbf3f63aee23c084032bbc546e3a4883f26
According to the article, the plan was hatched before the pandemic; those in charge apparently see no reason to cancel it now.
Reading the news every day makes me feel like we've somehow passed through a portal into an alternative universe made entirely of wrongness.
The Lords of the Rings staying in $300,000 hotel suites subsidised down to $4,400 by our tax payments while over 800,000 kids are herded around Tokyo as backdrops for the events. It's almost beyond words.
https://www.news-postseven.com/archives/20210522_1659932.html?DETAIL
Sandoval
Sacrifice?! Sacrifice for who? Sacrifice for what? That man has completely lost his connection with reality. People are willing to sacrifice for something that will benefit to the society. This is not one of those things. The only people who are going to benefit are IOC and co.
Alfie Noakes
That's $30,000 suites not $300,000. Although given the IOC's lust for money one wouldn't be surprised to see them staying in a fur-lined, solid-gold hotel.
Maria 'Bing' Velasquez Reid
The Olympic participants are playing politics so they can continue making money for themselves
Tokyo-Engr
@Alfie - thanks for providing those.
This is something where I am totally in agreement with the majority of Japanese. The games should be postponed or cancelled.
Do the hustle
It’s strange that people are worried about foreign athletes and staff bringing the virus to Japan. It’s more likely they will contract the virus while they are in Japan.
Wolfpack
If the IOC listened to the Japanese people it would cost them 75% of their income and they couldn’t stay in lavish hotels. Reminds me of the elite EU bureaucrats who make decisions for how the proletariat live while they are free to live a grand lifestyle without limitations.
towingtheline
We should sign a petition to boycot ALL Japanese businesses that sponsors the olympics.
Go after the money. Get the sponsors scared and hopefully they will pull out, forcing a cancelation.
Target the sponsors, not the IOC or Suga.
ian
It may be too late now to cancel it but not too early to lobby for the cancellations of future Olympics.
Also everyone can lobby their respective governments not to send delegations to Japan and the succeding Olympics.
Pim
@Antiquesaving
I suspect a couple of people posting here are directly or indirectly on IOC's payroll. Everyone will know who I'm talking about.
ian
I hope, for the sake of Canada that all Canada boycott the Olympics.
If some them go ahead it might foment division.
Gymnastics Canada may have forced the hand of the whole country in this one.
If only the athletes have been vaccinated on time then everyone could have chosen freely if they want to go ahead or not.
No matter which side of the fence we're in, it seems people are intent on forcing their beliefs on others
catseye97
As was asked above, when did Japan become an IOC colony?
ian
Athletes and other delegates are less likely to get infected because they are likely vaccinated coming here
ian
This kind of thinking is what limits most people. Normally you don't have to choose among choices to the exclusivity of others.
For maximum effect it would be best regarding this matter to target the sponsors, the IOC, and the government.
Also lobby your respective governments to not send delegates.
Antiquesaving
Vaccinated or not would you risk going to Brazil at this time knowing the total mess the country is in now?
As for athletes making their own choice.
It doesn't work that way, refusing or missing certain events if their respective governing bodies say they must participate, will lead to disciplinary actions, right up to permanent suspension.
The reason gymnastics Canada will not be in Tokyo is because they refused to go to Rio and thus may also ban them from the next international event, which dominoes and can take years to get back to where they were before refusing.
This is how these governing bodies, the IOC, world championships, etc.. keep athletes in line.
adangoia
This splendid(?) person maybe hasn't realized that the so called "safe and secure" problem cannot be limited at those 11,000 athletes...(who cares about this???), but on the contrary the risk is for the entire society in Japan which will be under big risk due to the amount of visitors arriving in here and that will be free to move around the city and whole country even WITHOUT wearing any mask that therefore it's mandatory, nobody physically prevents you from freely accessing the most common places both outdoors and indoors such as convenient stores or supermarkets where I have personally seen some people not wearing any type of protection despite clear warning signs because here in Japan no one can stop you at the entrance, despite the well located signs, if you are not wearing any.
The risk of worsening the situation is enormous and I don't think the IOC and whoever is connected to it, cares so much about the public living here in Japan.
Flute
@ A Johnson
I do not think, it can but, since they already did it for spectators, they could possibly cut out everybody which is not to live in the bubble Olympic village. No IOC official, they already have JOC on site and online system. No journalists, make arrangement and contract with the already on site ones. And so on ...
If they were to be allowed in : What about they go to hotel room in their budget instead of expecting somebody else to pay for the difference ? Better yet, what about being less wasteful and spend less money ? There are some nice manga cafe ready to welcome them : free Internet, softdrink and sometimes even food. Use the money saved to shoulder part of the cost of your big mess.
ian
I was referring to gymnastics Canada's decision. If the gymnasts were vaccinated then the organizations couldn't have pulled out every one just like that
ian
so what disciplinary action/s are Canadian gymnasts now face?
RoccoL
Dear John,
Given that your own county isn’t allowing ANY foreign travel or even repatriation from certain countries (unless you’re a privileged sportsman), would you like to hold the Olympics in Australia this year? There’s one going spare.
Best regards,
Japan
Starbucks
@ roccol
Dear John,
Given that your own county isn’t allowing ANY foreign travel or even repatriation from certain countries (unless you’re a privileged sportsman), would you like to hold the Olympics in Australia this year? There’s one going spare.
Best regards,
Japan
I don't think that's on the cards. Australians have a pretty good bs meter and this person reeks of it.
Pim
Contrary to what FFS is writing here everyday, prompting me to correct him everyday, WHO has not declared or agreed to other declarations saying the Games would be safe.
WHO official statement available on IOC website: The WHO has "confidence that the International Olympic Committee and the host city Tokyo, and the Government of Japan, will make the right decisions regarding how best to manage the risks, and are working extremely hard right now to ensure that those risks are well managed”.
In other words, "we are confident that organizers are doing their best".
Risk management is not excatly the same thing as risk elimination. And as everyone knows, obligations of means and obligation of results are two very different things.
The Games will be safe = results. We are doing our best to hold safe Games = means. The latter come with a much reduced responsibilityn if any, should things turn bad.
RoccoL
@Pim.
To follow on, the Olympics, by any measure will not reduce any of the 4 variables used by the WHO and epidemiologists to calculate the R number.
If R is above 1 = bad - doctors will be faced with many sick people and choosing who gets a bed (read: who dies and who doesn’t). Below 1 = good - virus will burn out.
Calculated on the 4 variables:
Opportunities to infect - I.e. number of contact points. This is why we have lockdowns and closed restaurants.
Susceptibility of population - e.g. how likely people are to contract the virus, get sick and pass it on. This is why we have vaccines - it reduces the number of susceptible people.
Transmissibility - How easily the virus passes to another person. This is why we have masks.
Duration: the longer the contact and also outbreak, the more likely a transmission becomes. This is why it’s important to get on top of the spread quickly and to limit personal contact time.Many outbreaks of viruses are caused by “broadcasts events” I.e. superspreaders. E.g. the Don Juan who gives herpes to 100 women (or men) in a year.
The Olympics breaks every last one of those variables well established WHO variables AND needs only a few superspreaders to totally [expletive] us.
Why is the WHO not demanding that the Olympics is cancelled?
John-San
John Coates head of the AOC sent a Australian skateboard team to the Olympic qualifying event in Ohio without being fully vaccinate today and just what. Yes one of the team return a positive to COVID 19 which put the whole team in lock up and all will miss the Olympic qualifying therefore destroying their Olympic dreams.
John Coates is a full of BS has starbucks mention.
Tobia
You should retire mate and take a pay cut together with Bach, Coe, and the other clowns in your organisation. Shameless statements. Who is the IOC to make decisions that concern scientists, healthcare staff and human lives. It's about greed and money. Obviuosly.
Some dude
I think I what we’re seeing with the IOC is not dissimilar to what’s going on in US politics: the policy seems to be to stake out a position and simply defend it, no matter how unpopular it is, no matter how much pushback there is, no matter what. And while I’m half convinced that some politicians in America don’t really believe what they say/tweet and do so just to get a rise out of people, with the IOC it is just sheer arrogance and the assumption that nobody will ever say “no” to them. Something about “power corrupts”...
mmwkdw
Never, in the History of the Olympics have the voices of so many, been ignored by so few.
mmwkdw
A general strike should be called for throughout the proposed duration of the Olympics. People won't travel to work as such, and therefore be safer, whilst at the same time, sending a message to the Government and it's IOC masters.
We will not make the Sacrifices that Coates wishes us to make, especially in the name of lining a few of their pockets.
cleo
Something awful has occurred, it’s called a pandemic.
There is no integrity in pushing ahead with a stupid plan that is likely to cause a good deal of distress
What exactly do you imagine has changed? Japan is not vaccinated, and case numbers are higher than this time last year. And more virulent variations of the virus have appeared. If last year was unsafe, this year is doubly so.
cleo
Which very, very few Japanese people have received or will have received by the time the athletes and hangers-on start arriving.
The hospitals are full, and medical staff are exhausted..
As in, no unnecessary travel? Two weeks' quarantine on entering the country?
Why wouldn't they? Bach says we have to 'sacrifice'; what exactly is he expecting people to sacrifice? Their health? Their livelihoods, as the prolonged closures put more and more people on the breadline? Why do the Japanese people have to 'sacrifice' for the sake of putting on an event 80% of them don't want?
How about Bach and Coates 'sacrifice' their hefty pay cheques and let people get on with the infinitely more important job of shutting down Covid?
mmwkdw
The Olympics IOC have a legal clause that essentially says, enter at your own risk... and dont blame us.
So their assurances of a "Safe" Olympics are backed up by Legal protection for themselves... not the rest of us nor the participants.
Read about it yourself, and make your own mind up.
1glenn
I will be enjoying the Olympics from the comfort of my living room.