International Olympic Committee announces commitment to athletes’ health and funding

In a digital press conference today, Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), promised that regulations will be put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. The athletes’ health and safety are the committee’s priority, he said.

This announcement comes after top members of the IOC met with the Athlete’s Commission to discuss the summer 2021 Olympic Games. 

In addition to prioritizing the health of athletes, the IOC will also be providing a larger percentage of its budget to make sure athletes have the funds to compete, an undertaking that may be especially appreciated during a pandemic. The Olympic Committee is working with athletes worldwide to make the Tokyo Olympics possible in what Bach called an important show of solidarity. 

“We need more solidarity within societies and we need more solidarity among societies,” he said. “This is also true within the olympic community. We need more solidarity in our community.”