Cal Athletes Will Compete Amid Silence at Tokyo Olympics

All fans have been banned from attending events at the Games because of a COVID-related state of emergency in Japan

If former Cal star Alex Morgan scores a game-winning goal for the United States in the Olympic soccer competition, there will be no spectator noise.

If Cal alum Collin Morikawa sinks a 40-foot putt on the 72nd hole to capture the golf gold medal, no fans will be there to see it.

If onetime Golden Bears standout Ryan Murphy heads toward the finish line of a tight 200-meter backstroke final, there will be no fans present to cheer him on.

More than 40 current and former Cal athletes will compete at what will be an eerie 2021 Olympics, because Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa told the Japanese news agency Kyodo on Thursday that fans have been banned from the Tokyo Olympics following the establishment of a state of emergency, according to an Associated Press report.

The ban was announced by the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers, and, as a result, these Olympic Games, which start in two weeks, have been reduced to a made-for-TV event.

Several months ago spectators from outside Japan were banned from attending the Games, but Thursday’s announcement means that no fans will be allowed to attend events at any indoor or outdoor Olympic venues.

The state of emergency is scheduled to begin Monday and last through Aug. 22. The Olympics are scheduled to open on July 23, with a few competitions beginning a few days before that, and run through Aug. 8. All events will be held during the state of emergency.

Two weeks ago, organizers and the IOC allowed venues to be filled to 50% of capacity, with no crowd exceeding 10,000 spectators. The state of emergency dashed that plan.

No fans will be allowed to attend the opening ceremony, which is traditionally the most watched event during the Olympics. The course for the Olympic torch relay has been modified.

An increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Tokyo is the reason for the state of emergency. There were 920 new cases reported on Wednesday, which was the highest total since 1,010 were reported on May 13. Tokyo reported 896 new cases on Thursday, the 19th consecutive day that the number of cases exceeded the number of seven days earlier. Only 15% of Japanese are fully vaccinated.

About 11,000 Olympians as well as thousands of officials, judges, administrators, sponsors, broadcasters, and media are coming to Japan for the Olympics.

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Photo of empty Tokyo venue by Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports

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