Tennis ace Roger Federer has called on coordinators of the Tokyo Olympics to tell athletes if the game is on.
Adding he said, he still is in two minds whether to compete. The event was delayed by a year and is now slated to go ahead between 23rd July and 8th August. However, the uncertainty of its happening remains amid the ongoing global COVID pandemic.
A single gold medal is the only significant honour missing from the Swiss’s remarkable collection. However, the 39-year old says he will understand if the Games will not go ahead.
Japan, with a state of emergency around the capital Tokyo, is battling a surge in infections. Moreover, the state of emergency is extended until at least at the end of May.
With Tokyo and other areas already under emergency orders until May. Three different regions, including Northern Hokkaido, which will host the Olympic marathon, now join them.
The widening emergency aimed at combating the fourth wave putting Japan’s medical systems under strain. It comes with public opinion firmly opposed to holding the Games holding further infections.
Upcoming Geneva Open Tournament
Federer is playing in the Geneva Open Tournament next week since returning from over a year off with knee problems.
Roger Federer said the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine had immunised him against the COVID.
An appeal asking for the Games to be cancelled has been signed by more than 350,000. The signatures all happened in nine days, raising new questions if the Olympics should go ahead. Moreover, some towns have ditched the plan to host Olympics athletes during the event, casting further doubt on the games.
Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka, Japan’s top-ranked tennis players, have also shared concerns about the games going ahead. Adding that hosting the Olympics while the pandemic still going on needs to be discussed carefully.
Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams both said this week said that they were unsure of competing in Tokyo.
