In Pictures

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No cheers amid COVID fears at fan-less Tokyo Olympics

Most of the stands at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics remain empty of fans due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Kento Momota of Japan competes against USA's Timothy Lam during a men's singles Badminton match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. [Dita Alangkara/AP Photo]
Published On 25 Jul 2021

Gymnasts raised their arms and struck familiar poses – without the familiar explosion of cheers.

Nothing to hear near the beach volleyball courts, either, except the piercing hiss of cicadas in surrounding trees.

All around the Tokyo Games, empty seats have provided a sullen, silent reminder that these unusual Olympics have been staged against the will of many in Japan, where the coronavirus pandemic is surging.

Only at a few far-flung events – like football matches in the northern prefecture of Miyagi – have fans been allowed to enter. Even then, capacities are severely limited.

A DJ spun some beats at the 3-on-3 basketball court, but the six competitors on the court were essentially his entire audience. No one watched at archery, weightlifting or field hockey, either.

One group of competitors who did not seem to mind: dressage horses at the Equestrian Park, who carried on without a care as they performed pirouettes and piaffes.

Carlos Edriel Yulo, of the Philippines, performs on the rings during the men's artistic gymnastic qualifiers. [Gregory Bull/AP Photo]
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Julia Sude and Karla Borger, of Germany, play against Anouk Verge-Depre and Joana Heidrich, of Switzerland, during a women's beach volleyball match in the empty Shiokaze Park. [Felipe Dana/AP Photo]
Against a backdrop of empty seats at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field, Mexico's Luis Alvarez fires an arrow during the mixed team competition. [Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo]
Spectators watch during a women's football match between China and Zambia in Miyagi, Japan. [Andre Penner/AP Photo]
Asia D'Amato, of Italy, performs her floor exercise during the women's artistic gymnastic qualifiers in Tokyo. [Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo]
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, plays against Max Purcell, of Australia, during the first round of the tennis competition. [Seth Wenig/AP Photo]
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Estonia's Dina Ellermann, riding Donna Anna, competes during the dressage Grand Prix competition at an empty Equestrian Park in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. [Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo]
Seats sit empty during the women's 49kg weightlifting event at the Tokyo International Forum. [Luca Bruno/AP Photo]
Zambia's players react after a women's football match against China in Miyagi, Japan. China and Zambia drew 4-4. [Andre Penner/AP Photo]