Visitors try to take photos in front of the Olympic Rings monument outside the Japan Olympic Committee headquarters near the National Stadium in Tokyo. Photo: Reuters/Issei KatoAll athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics must sign a document to acknowledge that they may face health risks or death caused by coronavirus infections and intense heat during the Games. While it is normal for Olympic athletes to sign a waiver, the 2021 version includes a change in wording which protects the International Olympic Committee and the Japan organisers specifically against the consequences of the virus. He writes extensively on the policies surrounding the Olympic Games and has been a strident critic of the IOC decision to press ahead with the Games. When asked via email by Yahoo Sport what would happen if athletes refused to sign the waiver, an IOC spokesperson did not directly answer the question.

Source: Irish Independent June 01, 2021 09:26 UTC