Spectators to face Olympic ban as Tokyo declares coronavirus emergency - report

TOKYO: Olympic organisers are set to ban all spectators from the Games, the Asahi daily said on Thursday, as Japan prepared to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo that will run through its hosting of the event to curb a new wave of coronavirus infections.

Organisers were set to formally reach the decision on spectators during five-way talks between key parties on Thursday, the newspaper said, citing people involved in the Games. The ban on spectators is the latest blow to the troubled Olympics, already delayed by a year because of the pandemic and plagued by a series of setbacks, including massive budget overruns.