Spectators from abroad not allowed to attend Tokyo Olympics amid pandemic

Spectators from abroad will not be allowed to attend the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when they open in four months, per Olympic.org.

The decision was announced Saturday after a meeting between the International Olympic Committee, the Japanese government, the Tokyo government, the International Paralympic Committee and local organizers.

IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement:

"We share the disappointment of all enthusiastic Olympic fans from around the world, and of course the families and friends of the athletes, who were planning to come to the Games. For this I am truly sorry. We know that this is a great sacrifice for everybody. We have said from the very beginning of this pandemic that it will require sacrifices."

Officials decided that it is too risky to admit ticket holders from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The general public in Japan also opposed fans from abroad attending the Olympics due to health concerns. 

Japan has done pretty well controlling the virus in recent months, and allowing people from overseas to attend the games could derail the country's progress. 

Per NBC Washington, 600,000 tickets were sold to fans from outside Japan, and 4.45 million tickets were sold to Japan residents. Organizers are expected to announce the capacity at venues next month, which will now be populated only by residents of Japan.