IOC VP Coates arrives in Tokyo to supervise last preparation for Olympics

TOKYO, June 15 -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President John Coates arrived here on Tuesday morning with 38 days to go until the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

According to Xinhua, Japanese newspaper Sports Daily said that Coates, also head of IOC's Coordination Commission for Tokyo 2020, will stay in Japan to keep a close watch on the final preparation of the postponed games.

Coates said last month that the games will "absolutely" take place even if Tokyo is still in a "state of emergency".

Coates, who flew from Sydney, arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport and was received by Japanese Olympic President Yasuhiro Yamashita, who reportedly kept a social distance from his guest.

The Australian will self-quarantine in a hotel in Tokyo for three days as part of COVID-19 countermeasures. In the next 11 days, he can attend restricted activities without contacting the public.

Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told reporters last week that Christophe Dubi, Olympic Games Executive Director, is also expected to arrive in Tokyo on Tuesday. But IOC President Thomas Bach's arrival has been delayed to July.

The organisers said that Dubi will attend remotely a joint press conference on Tuesday night after version three of the Tokyo 2020 Playbooks is unveiled.

The Playbooks, which have been developed in partnership with Tokyo 2020, the IOC and International Paralympic Committee (IPC), will contain details of COVID-19 countermeasures as well as the guidelines and rules that each Games stakeholder will need to observe in order to play their part in ensuring a safe and secure Games.

-- BERNAMA