PORTRAITS OF JAPANSTRONGER TOGETHER,FOR SAFE AND
SECURE GAMESThe Tokyo 2020 Games are being held under the unprecedented circumstancesof the COVID-19 pandemic. With many people worldwide facing enormoushardships, these Games strive to bring the world together as one.

The Olympic and Paralympic
Games—said to be viewed on
television by 4 billion people
around the globe—have thepower to unite the hearts of people
the world over. To send out themessage of the world’s potential tocome together and of being able toovercome the enormous hardshipof COVID-19, the Tokyo 2020
Olympic Games commence at laston July 23.
The context of the COVID-19
pandemicpresents
anunprecedented challenge tothis year’s Games, setting themapart from those held until now.
However, that is exactly why all
involved in Tokyo 2020 have been
striving to succeed in holding safe
and secure Games, and bring tofull fruition a historic event thatgives hopes and dreams to thechildren of today who will be thepillars of the future.
Under the guidance of theWorld Health Organizationand scientific experts, Olympic
officials have come together toformulate safety measures, known
as the “Playbooks,” representing
the culmination of the efforts
of all those involved in realizing
Games that are safe and secure.
The Playbooks for each group ofstakeholders contain specific rules
for the safety and health of all theparticipants and host-country
The Australian women’s softball teamwas the first group of overseas athletes
to arrive in Japan.

The Playbook
aThleTes andofficials
Your guide to a safeand successful Games

June 2021
Version 3

residents alike.
To prevent infection via
droplets, all participants in theGames are to wear masks at
all times, except when eating,drinking, training, competing,and sleeping. Furthermore,thorough infection control
measures have been put in place tominimize interaction with otherpeople. These include avoiding
the Three Cs—closed spaces,crowded places, and close-contact
settings—along with frequent
handwashing and ventilation, as
well as the maximum avoidance ofusing shared items.
Participants from overseas arerequired to submit a certificate ofa negative COVID-19 test before
coming to Japan, and are subject
to retesting upon arrival in thecountry. Routine testing is also
carried out during the Games. Asmartphone app “OCHA” hasbeen created to manage daily
reports on a person’s physicalcondition and trace instancesof close contact with infectedpersons. In addition, athletes
and other personnel, insteadof using public transport, mustuse dedicated Games vehicles
operated according to hygiene
protocols.
These strict rules also apply to

The Playbooks containrules for infection control
measures. In addition to
the Playbook for athletes
and officials, othereditions have been
designed specifically forbroadcast and media
personnel, the general
Olympic workforce, andother groups, includinginternational federations.

broadcast and media personnel,
as well as all other people involved
with the Games, with separate
rules for each group. Minimizingthese individuals’ movements
also ensures the safety of all theparticipants and the people of thehost country, Japan.
According to the International
Olympic Committee as of June
15, over 80% of athletes andpersonnel staying at the Olympic
Village are expected to be fully
vaccinated, as will 70% to 80% of
broadcast and media personnel.
Japan’s vaccination rollout has
similarly
been
accelerating
rapidly, with 71.9 million doses
administered as of July 19, which
will certainly lead to safer, moresecure Games.
The whole world’s attention thissummer is focused on a festival ofsport that is being conducted inaccordance with thorough safetymeasures. It has been decided thatmost of the competitions are to
be carried out without spectators,
making it difficult for the public
to show their support for theathletes by cheering directly fromthe stands. However, the featsof the dauntless athletes, whohave continued to train underchallenging conditions, are being
broadcast on live TV and online
streaming, serving as a beacon ofhope for 4 billion viewers across theglobe. By all means, heartily shout
out your support to the athletes thisyear remotely, be it through yourtelevision or other device. 

While the athletics test eventin May was held without
spectators, it was carried out
successfully, and top athletesparticipated with excitement.