Olympic Organizers Ban Alcohol Consumption At Event Venues

With the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games being 4 weeks away, organizers of the competition have agreed to ban both sale and consumption of alcohol at designated venues.

Reports say that organizers had previously considered allowing alcohol consumption at Olympics venues but this provoked a public outcry earlier this week, with the hashtag “cancel the Olympic Games” garnering tens of thousands of tweets.

Tokyo Olympics President Seiko Hashimoto told reporters that following experts advice the organising committee decided against selling and drinking alcohol drinks at the venues so as to prevent spread of infections,

Alcohol sales have been restricted in and around Tokyo after health officials warned drinking would encourage close contact, loud speaking and mingling in bars that could help spread the virus.

Organizers said on Monday that while foreign visitors are banned up to 10,000 domestic spectators would be allowed into venues. .

“We decided that it would be better to do the best preparations we can for a Games with spectators,” Hashimoto said at a media round table on Tuesday, saying the decision was in line with the medical experts’ recommendations.

The arduous preparations for the Olympics also appeared to have taken its toll on organizers.

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike was hospitalized on Tuesday, reports claimed. The metropolitan government said earlier on Tuesday evening that she would take the rest of the week off due to fatigue.