(NEXSTAR) – A spokesperson for the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee has confirmed that at least one resident of the Olympic and Paralympic Village has had their accreditation revoked for going on an unauthorized “sightseeing” trip.
“We took away accreditation as we believe going out of the athletes’ village for sightseeing is something that should not happen,” spokesperson Masa Takaya said during a Saturday briefing, Reuters reported.
Takaya did not reveal the name or names of those who left the village. Tokyo-based Kyodo News, however, said the offending party comprised of two judo athletes from Georgia, citing a spokesperson for the Georgia Olympic committee. A separate local report cited by Kyodo News further claimed that the two were seen taking pictures near Tokyo Tower while wearing their team’s gear on the date of the alleged “sightseeing” trip.
The Georgia official who spoke with Kyodo News said the men were no longer allowed on Olympic facilities for the remainder of the Games.
Athletes and Games-concerned personnel staying at the Olympic and Paralympic Village are prohibited from leaving the grounds except to go to “official Games venues and limited additional locations” that were previously outlined in each team’s “Activity Plan,” according to the IOC Playbook provided to residents. The Playbook also specifically notes that athletes are not allowed to use public transportation or “ walk around the city and visit tourist areas, shops, restaurants or bars, gyms, etc.”
Japan’s surging coronavirius cases, meanwhile, have hit record highs over the last week. The country reported more than 12,000 new cases on Saturday, with Tokyo reporting 4,058 new cases alone — a figure that soars past its previous record high of 3,865, recorded only two days prior, the Japan Times reported.
On Friday, Japan also extended a state of emergency for Tokyo and Okinawa, as well as areas in four other nearby prefectures, amid surging cases.
