'Vaccination not a silver bullet': IOC chief Thomas Bach urges athletes to not jump queue

International Olympics Committee's president Thomas Bach held a press conferencefollowing an Executive Board meeting amid uncertainty surrounding whether the Tokyo Olympic Games will go ahead later this year.

ALSO READ:Insurers face 'mind-blowingly' large loss if Olympics cancelled

Bach started the conference by confirming that the Games will go ahead as planned. IOC chief said that the committee is is "concentrated and committed" in holding the Tokyo Olympics as per the schedule.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

"We are fully concentrated and committed towards successful and safe Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Bach went on to talk about complexities of holding the Games, especially during the times of a pandemic, he said: "Organisation of Olympic and Paralympic Games extremely complex challenge. Complexity multiplied when it comes to the organisation of postponed Olympic Games under the conditions of a pandemic. We are learning every day."

He also said that no one can predict the health situation at the time of the games and the fight against the virus is tough. "Fight against the virus is a tough fight. Fighting it for and like Olympic athletes. Nobody, not even scientists, can predict the health-situation in 206 NOCs for the time of the Olympic and Paralympic Games from late July to the beginning of September this year," Bach said.

While talking about the vaccinations, Bach said that vaccines are not a 'silver bullet', however, the IOC is encouraging the everyone to accept vaccination. "Vaccination is not the silver bullet which solves all problems. It is part of the countermeasures for Tokyo 2020. We are encouraging everybody to accept vaccination. But athletes should not jump the queue," IOC chief said.

Bach talked about athlete quota during the games, he said: "61 per cent of the athlete quota places for Tokyo 2020 have already been allocated; 25 per cent will be assigned during the remaining qualification period; the final 14 per cent of athletes will be selected through rankings as per the respective qualification system for each sport."

IOC chief also rubbished the speculations regarding the cancellations or postponement of the Games and said such news hurt the athletes' preparations.

"There are many speculations around Tokyo 2020 which are hurting the athletes. There is speculation about cancellation, a Plan B, about everything. Some even make the proposal to postpone to the year 2032. Tell this to an athlete who is preparing now," Bach said.