“It is indeed very unfortunate that Belgian supporters cannot come to Tokyo this summer to encourage Belgian athletes,” said Phlippe vander Putten, quoted in a press release from Eventeam, the official ticketing agency for the Tokyo Games. for Belgium and France. “We understand that this difficult decision was taken to ensure the safety of the athletes and their entourage, but also of the local population. The next Summer Olympics will be held in Paris in three years, in 2024. This will be the an opportunity for Belgian supporters to see their Olympians at work very soon, “adds the CEO of the COIB.

Eventeam has been organizing since 2012 travel for supporters, but also families of selected athletes, official partners and companies and institutions close to the Games, for France and Belgium. The agency indicates that it “will do its best to support its customers, individuals and companies, and find with them the best solution adapted to each, as soon as possible, and this upon receipt of information and / or details useful for the resolution of these exceptional situations “.

The IOC “respects and accepts” the decision

“We share the disappointment of all Olympic supporters around the world, and of course the families and friends of the athletes, who had planned to come to the Games,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “I am so sorry about that. We know this is a great sacrifice for everyone. We said from the start of this pandemic that it would require sacrifices. But we also said that safety is paramount. Every This decision must respect the principle of security above all else. I know that our Japanese partners and friends did not come to this conclusion lightly. As for them, the IOC’s top priority was, is and remains to organize the Olympic Games and Paralympics safe for all: for all participants and, of course, for our kind hosts, the citizens of Japan. We stand alongside our Japanese partners and friends, without any form of reserve, to make the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 a great success.”

Spectators from all over the world will therefore have to follow the Games via an interposed screen. “With our broadcasters who hold the rights, we will do everything possible to ensure that enthusiasts around the world can fully experience the Olympic spirit,” says Thomas Bach. “In this way, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the light at the end of the tunnel and a perfectly sure manifestation of peace, solidarity, and the resilience of humanity to overcome the pandemic.”