IOC Executive Board makes accreditation decision for Tokyo 2020 – cancels Guest Programme

During the Five-Parties meeting last Saturday, 20 March 2021, the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) were confronted with the conclusion of their Japanese partners not to allow overseas spectators at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 this summer. This is necessary to organise safe and secure Games for everyone.

In this meeting, the Japanese government had made it very clear that this also requires a very significant reduction in the numbers of accredited participants who do not have essential and operational responsibilities. For obvious reasons, the IOC and IPC had to fully accept and respect these conclusions.

As a follow-up, these conclusions were discussed with all the National Olympic Committees (NOC) and all the International Federations (IF) in consultation calls this week. In these conversations, the IOC learned that all of them consider this a responsible approach, which is necessary for holding the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Many of them are already making a big effort to significantly reduce their numbers of accredited people and are also seeking in this respect the guidance and leadership of the IOC.

In order to comply with these conclusions and the requests of its Japanese partners, the IOC EB today decided to grant accreditation only to people who have essential and operational roles. IOC Members as the ultimate decision-making body of the IOC are playing such an essential and operational role and will attend the Games.

The IOC EB has cancelled or reduced the IOC Guest Programme, the invitations to Olympic athlete legends and a number of other programmes. It will also not grant accreditation to any accompanying guest in any category.