The British Olympic Association (BOA) has written to the President of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic Games to provide assurance that the athletes and staff of Team GB are “doing everything possible to minimise any risk to the people of Japan” ahead of the Olympic Games.
In a letter to President Hashimoto, the BOA’s Chair, Sir Hugh Robertson, outlined additional testing measures for the delegation members prior to departure, over and above the requirements of the Tokyo 2020 ‘Playbooks’.
With over 76% of the adult population of the United Kingdom having received the first dose of the vaccine, and over 53% having received both, the BOA is in the advanced stages of ensuring the entire British delegation is fully vaccinated for the Games.
As of today (Tuesday, 8 June) only 14% of the travelling party have yet to receive a vaccine, with the vast majority of those receiving their first dose of vaccine this week. With a three-week gap between vaccinations of the Pfizer jab, the BOA has pledged to their hosts “to do everything we can to get the entire team fully vaccinated before we depart for Japan.”
Robertson went on to outline Team GB’s rigorous testing and isolation programme being undertaken across the delegation and for the final 14 days before the team depart for Japan.
Chief Executive of the BOA, Andy Anson, added: “It’s our priority to protect not only the health of our athletes and wider delegation, but our hosts in Tokyo. Our relationships in Japan are incredibly important to us and we would not do anything to jeopardise them, to the extent that we are going over-and-above the Playbook requirements with our testing and isolation protocols.
“Everyone will undergo a PCR test 14 days prior to travel and regular lateral flow tests thereafter, as we also shield ourselves for the final build-up to the Games. That will mean avoiding close contacts, or going to crowded or indoor spaces.
“We’ll then take two PCR tests within 96 hours of travel, before a final test on the day of departure. We’re doing all we can, and more than we need to, to ensure our delegation is Covid free upon arrival in Japan.”