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© KYODO2 Georgian judoka ejected from Olympics for violating COVID protocols
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Jim
What the hell are the security doing around the exit points of the Olympics village? I also heard that they aren’t the only ones who have been roaming around freely as other athletes and team officials have been spotted in Shibuya, Ginza, Toyosu and Roppongi areas! Because of this type of acts foreigners will inevitably be blamed for the current high infection rate! But all is well as long as Japan keep winning the medals!
Mag
Bulk of the blame goes on the Tokyo Organizing Committee officials for this because it’s their responsibility to ensure that proper security is there to avoid this type is situations! The so called Olympic bubble is full of holes and many other athletes have gone out but only these two caught!
virusrex
So much for the organizers assurance than the bubble was problem free, and this is just where people were found, maybe other people are going around the city (and communicating the infection) and are just a little more careful so they are not getting caught.
kohakuebisu
I sometimes look at some journos' Twitter and one of them had a photo of about twenty Australians in team kits outside a restaurant.
lostrune2
Lol, why would ya wear your uniform when you're sneaking out?
Tristis Quepe
Bet it went down something like this:
"Hey, organising committee! We met two athletes in Roppongi last night. They said they were American swimmers and were out partying".
"Hm..um..we can't punish American athletes. Their TV companies ordered us to let them do what they want".
"Well, we also noticed a couple of black athletes in Harajuku. They had backpacks saying "Ivory Coast track and field". We took a photo, here, look".
"Er, yeah, we can't punish them. Race card, y'know. Looks bad".
"Well, there were those two guys out by Tokyo Tower. They even had their uniforms on. Georgia."
"As in Atlanta? We can't punish Americans, I told you".
"No, Georgia as in Tbilisi".
"Ooh. They're mostly white, aren't they?"
"Yes..."
"Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found our scapegoats!"
sakurasuki
These team got caught by people who willing to report them, unlike other team, who did similar things.
Anyway cases already reached another new records even with these athletes went for sightseeing
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/07/31/national/japan-coronavirus-july-31/
Inaka Life
Why was the above information left out of this story?? They’d already left Japan by the time officials had handed down their “punishment”. This kind of fake outrage and posturing does absolutely nothing to protect the people of Japan or stop future rule breakers.
Garthgoyle
Buahahaha. They got what they deserved. Have they used regular clothing they'd have gone unnoticed. But nope. Had to use their team uniforms. Morons.
GW
Let me explain the entire PURPOSE for these supposed ""playbooks""......
Their only purpose is to protect the ioc!! THATS it!
So every violation the ioc simply says its nit our fault, its the same reason athletes all have to sign waivers!!!
Its all so the ioc can cover their you know whats, THATS IT!
nonu6976
They had already finished competing, and were due to leave soon, so they probably decided why not.
Fighto!
Hang on - didnt the trouble-prone organisers promise the "bubble is secure"?
These so-called "olympic bubbles" in Hokkaido, Miyagi, Fukushima, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Osaka are and were never secure.
Mag
@Hiro
We are currently facing a pandemic with the number of infections skyrocketing ever since the Olympics began! It’s not about being an authoritarian state. It’s just common sense that holding an event of such large magnitude during a pandemic requires strict and tighter control. The athletes were already aware that the security will be tight and they won’t be allowed to leave the Olympics village ( nothing to do with being an authoritarian state ) but upon arriving they realized it’s a totally different story with lackluster security. So they started to leave the bubble zone and roam around. By your explanation all blames lies only on the athletes ( foreigners) and none on the organizing committee ( mostly Japanese ) who failed to provide better security measures to monitor the movement and stop unnecessary outings! If there were proper security officers present at the entry / exit points then none of the foreign athletes/ officials would gone out of the bubble. It’s just poor organizational skills at work here!
Laguna
Meanwhile, I'm cheek-to-jowl on a train every morning.
didou
I hope they did not catch covid while in town
shogun36
They weren’t the first to break protocols. And most likely won’t be the last.
knightsofraiden
Well said. The athletes are more tested for covid than the general population.
kohakuebisu
The thing with the Australians actually made the news and is here.
https://twitter.com/yorozya_1/status/1421420251745452036
The report says they were taken out of the village in a large group for a PCR test to Shinbashi before heading home. Which is not their fault personally, but still means a large group of them were hanging around outside, something we were told wouldn't happen. It also means there must be little or no PCR testing capability at the village itself. So more lies about bubbles and testing from the IOC and JOC.
O'Brien
You can always count on a certain cohort of JT readers to convict using only heresy, rumour and innuendo.
It counterbalances the other cohort who can literally rationalise every incompetent action on the part of the Japanese government and the greed-driven sociopathy of the IOC.
Jim
Agree with above posters - this is more to show to local residents that they are strictly following the playbook rules by making these two as scapegoats
There are many other examples/sightings but does not get acted upon
Already pointing fingers & shifting blame game has started - see below article where Marukawa is saying dont ask me, ask the organizing committee
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210731/p2a/00m/0na/012000c
Pukey2
Big deal. Judo events are over. They're not likely to stay for the opening ceremony anycase since athletes are told to leave Japan asap. Anyway, I hope they didn't catch the virus while in town.
Tokyoite
Simply put, it's politics.
A lot of people believe that the transmission is only one way anyway, and that's from the foreigners.
Tokyoite
Exactly.
NNN
Rules are rules. As an athlete, medal should not be the only matter, but also he/she has to have sportsmanship, discipline, attitude and respect for the rules. Foreigners always say how peaceful Japan is but forget that it all can be achieved because people here (mostly ) follow the rules. Then who are we as foreigners suddenly can do as we like as we wish and break the rules saying that the rules that Japan made is nonsense ? Why don’t we stay in our country then if we feel it is more comfortable and trusted than Japan , other than always feeling offended by Japanese rules and not ready to be a part of the mannerly peaceful society. Zannen but I hope we, they can learn something good from this.
englisc aspyrgend
If the athletes are fully vaccinated why shouldn’t they? They are probably at more risk from the Japanese population than any risk they might represent to the population.
Tokyoite
Have the source? From what this article says, that's an instant ban.
kwatt
Rule is rule. All athletes should know it from the playbook before coming to the Olympics. Surely they knew outside is under state of emergency. It is impossible to watch all athletes all day long, so Japan had to trust all intelligent athletes, so most of them will not.
dagon
Just anecdotally from browsing social media, it is the tip of the iceberg. There are locals looking to meet Olympians and of course expressions of interest are hard to ignore. It is inevitable and foolhardy to try to stop it.
Tokyoite
"I also heard" is good enough evidence for me!
Iron Lad
It's such a shame, I was looking forward to them competing in the mixed team, this is probably the reason why.
Oh well, Japan lost against France anyway, better luck next time.
The real sadness is the russians trying so hard but gets nothing.
Paul G
The athletes from Georgia know the rule; rule was broken. Olympics correctly remove them. It is the personal responsabity of them. Don’t blame others only them
Bill Adams
They've finished their events, got their medals and now want to see a bit of the wonderful country they have travelled to. Only natural. I would certainly do the same.
Peeping_Tom
The first two posters moaning they're not living in a dictatorship a "la China".
Nuff said.
Hiro
@Mag, this isn't a authortarian state. We cannot just post police, tracking dogs and bared wired evewhere to enforce them not to leave the village. All we can do as a democracy nation is to politely as them not to break the rules and don't endanger others within the village by getting infected. So if they do get caught leaving, Japan can't even punish them and all the committee can do is send them home.
We can't lay a finger on them, we can't say anything insulting or scold them. Heck, we aren't even allow to monitor them,because that is against their privacy rights. All we can do is kindly tell them the olympic is over for them when they are caught.
The problem is the culture. Japan expected certain standards for the athletes and think they would just comply the rules and guidance of the officials. Politely asking doesn't always work because sometime humans are just rule breakers and stubborn beings.
Chibakun
I had no idea they weren't allowed to leave the Olympic village, seems a bit harsh.