Australian Olympic softball team looking forward to arriving in Japan on Tuesday

Once in Japan, the players and staff will also remain completely separated from the general public.

What a bitter loss. One of the benefits of these host communities is the cultural exchanges between the locals and the guests.

Let’s hope none of the girls or staff contract the virus when in Japan. They will also have to endure two weeks quarantine when they return to Australia.

Welcome, welcome, welcome to Japan!

Good for them, good planning, good preparations

Lack said while she understood people's reluctance to holding the games, she hoped the sporting event would help boost morale.

No. Your team coming here weeks before the games actually start has the opposite effect.

Can't find a training camp in Oz until a few days before the opening games??

given all of the stuff in the article, I have to wonder what's the attraction of coming here 7 weeks early.

It is pointless of course. Any prof coach will tell you it would be much better to train in Australia till 10 to 12 days before the games and then come to Japan, play one or two games before the Games. That also because Australia has a less strict regime for the team where corona is concerned.

Being practically locked up here for 8 weeks is madness

BUT there is a reason. It is a tactical move by Mr Coates to show his imaginary bubbles work. Why should he care to sacrifice the teams interests above his own? After all they are just athletes.

another fluff PR stunt to show to Japanese people how great IOC/JOC is to deliver "safe & secure" olympics...

This team is coming early to Japan since OZ government has their priorities right - more important to protect lives of population than do preparation camps within OZ - so they shift this risk taking adventure to gullible Japan - Japan more than happy to accept this team since so many other countries have cancelled their training camps in Japan already and this is a much needed morale boost for them..

Well to Japan! I am sorry to say that you lose to a great Japan team, but I am sure you play well.

And what was all that about the athletes only coming in 3 days or so before their first event?

You can also tell by the players' comments that they are primed not to talk about corona. You'd think from how they talk, they've been living in a bubble for the last 18 months and have no idea of what's happening in the wider world. But I guess that's the Olympic spirit for you: blinkers on and look straight ahead.

Almost two months of daily PCR tests and practically inside a bubble doing nothing but softball. They should have just stayed in Australia and come to Japan 2 weeks before the games. Knowing Japan, their handlers will strictly follow with whats written on their policy with disregard for the stress the athletes might endure with this prolonged quarantine.

At least for returning Japan residents, they only need to quarantine for two weeks and then go about their business with the normal population where majority are yet to be vaccinated.

6 weeks by themselves with little interaction (or so they say) with the local population?

They are gonna be at each other’s throats by the time the games come along.

This sounds like the definition of "muri wo suru", glossed to the English "overdoing it" but generally used when people expend excessive time/money/energy on things that are impossible and/or of limited value. I know Japanese inaka towns will do absolutely anything for publicity or civic pride, but It sounds like there is no value in them being in Japan and that they are merely a burden on the town hosting them.

Nice PR propaganda piece!

Meanwhile none of my family's over 65 have recieved a single Vaccine shot and those with appointments won't until late July.

My daughter's friend who was caring for his brother with cerebral palsy has been sick 2 weeks cannot get tested ( without paying private labs) while it took him paying for his disabled bother a private lab to get tested and still after the positive results took 5 more days to find a hospital in Tokyo to take him.

So while all this money time effort is put into these people coming here.

A Japanese man with cerebral palsy sick with fever for a week had to find some way to get tested then wait a week to get help.

He is now in serious condition on oxigen 24 hours a day.

But the Athletes are vaccinated and getting anything they need.

We do have a couple of games scheduled against the Japanese national team, so we just need to get games into the girls," he said, adding there were few opportunities to face high-level opponents in Australia.

Yup, absolutely no contact with the locals....

So sad seeing athletes coming unwelcome to Japan to be isolated and restricted, is this what the Olympics are supposed to represent?

I'm sure most athletes will consider that stressful two months a small sacrifice for a shot at the Olympics.

Many of them have trained all their lives for it and for many, they will only have one chance.

I feel sorry for those who wouldn't be able to go whatever is the reason

Nice PR stunt from Coates.

Has anyone here seen the “hotel”. ? And the rooms ? I guarantee there is no way you are going to keep the players in there for 6 or 7 weeks. No way

Luckily, they’re Aussies. A people renowned for their respect for authority, love of regulation and disdain for alcohol-fuelled nonsense.

Luckily, they’re Aussies. A people renowned for their respect for authority, love of regulation and disdain for alcohol-fuelled nonsense.

lol!

Being a hostage to fortune for John Coates and the IOC is unimaginable. Let's hope the girls and staff make it through unscathed. Most people couldn't last 3 days in rural Gunma, never mind seven weeks.

@Robert. The hotel was on the news last night. Players are on a higher floor with a relax or meeting room on 2nd or 3rd floor. They will use a rear door for going in and out and other floors are used by normal customers.

It looks completely impossible to separate them from what was described.

Once in Japan they will be confined to their hotel and unable to move around freely.

The reality of being in Japan for them...