Where are the 2021 Olympics? Locations, venues and more to know about the Tokyo Games

Athletes from more than 200 nations around the world will gather in Tokyo for one of the most unusual Olympic Games in recent times.

The 2021 Olympics, delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will finally take place from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo, even as the pandemic continues to take its toll not only on the world of sports, but to the world in general. . In fact, the 2021 Olympics, including the opening and closing ceremonies, will be held without spectators amid the growing number of coronaviruses in Japan.

Still, look for athletes who take advantage of the world stage, as their goal is to represent not only themselves, but their countries as well.

With that, here is everything you need to know about the 2021 Games, held in Tokyo:

MORE: Day-by-day schedule of events for the 2021 Olympics

Where are the 2021 Olympics?

The 2021 Olympic Games are being held in Tokyo, a decision that was made in 2013 during the 125th Session of the International Olympic Commission. It is the second time in Tokyo’s history that it will host the Olympic Games. It is the fourth time that Japan has hosted the event and the first since the 1998 Winter Games.

Below is a summary of the previous occasions that Japan has hosted the Olympics:

Venues for the Tokyo Olympics

There are 42 Olympic venues spread throughout Japan. Here’s a full list, along with the sports that will be held there.

Are fans allowed at the Olympics?

Fans will not be able to attend the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo after the IOC declared on July 8 that the 2021 Games would take place without fan attendance. The decision was made after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures in the country’s Kanto region. The state of emergency will last until August 22, two weeks after the conclusion of the Olympics.

Non-Japanese viewers had already been banned from attending the Games amid growing concern that their attendance would present significant challenges in limiting the spread of the coronavirus. Yoshihide’s declared state of emergency, issued amid rising COVID-19 numbers in Japan, also removed local residents from consideration. It is still possible that events taking place outside of Tokyo, such as marching races and marathons, which have moved to Sapporo, may still include fan attendance, at the discretion of local authorities.

“It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections,” Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said in a statement announcing the IOC’s decision. “Sorry for those who bought tickets.”

“(The athletes) wanted a lot of people to see their performances, but much of the Japanese public was concerned about the COVID-19 situation, including the strong countermeasures, about the flow of people, and about various concerns.

“Anxiety is expressed and many people object. Each person has the right to have all the different thoughts, but by canceling these differences, the athletes will do their best.”

Despite growing fears of an increase in COVID-19 cases, athletes do not need to be vaccinated to participate in the Games. However, they will undergo daily tests to ensure their health and safety, as well as that of coaches and other essential personnel.

What is the time difference in Tokyo?

Tokyo, which operates outside of Japan Standard Time, is 13 hours ahead of the US Eastern Standard Time Zone and 16 hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone. That means there will be significant delays between the execution of events as they happen and the broadcast of those events by NBC.

How much did the Olympics cost?

A study by the University of Oxford (England) estimates that the 2021 Tokyo Olympics are the most expensive in history, costing more than $ 15 billion. That includes $ 1.4 billion for the Tokyo Olympic Stadium alone, which will serve as the venue for Olympic ceremonies, in addition to all athletics and soccer events.

Japan estimated in 2013, when it was actively bidding for hosting privileges for the 2020 Olympics, that it would cost $ 7.6 billion to host the Games. That estimate skyrocketed to $ 12.6 billion in 2020, before it was postponed. The additional year added another $ 2.8 billion in costs, for a grand total estimated at $ 15.4 billion.

MORE: Olympian Tests ‘Anti-Sex’ Beds

Conditions of the Olympic Village

The Tokyo Olympic Village, comprising 108 acres, 21 residential buildings, and 3,800 condominiums, was established in Tokyo’s coastal Harumi district, approximately three and a half miles from the Olympic Stadium. It includes fitness and recreation centers, a doping control station and a polyclinic.

Approximately 18,000 athletes and officials are expected to remain there during the Games, with the earliest arriving no earlier than five days before the competition begins and staying no more than two days after it concludes.

The Olympic Village has a historical reputation for intimacy between athletes, not only from the same country, but also from neighboring nations. That did not appear to be the case for the 2021 Games after IOC officials set up cardboard-framed beds designed to hold just 440 pounds at a time.

However, that myth appears to have been debunked after Irish pommel horse Olympian Rhys McClenaghan posted a video of himself jumping on the bed, suggesting that they can withstand significant activity, ahem.

Said that Japan today reports that IOC officials have distributed 160,000 condoms ahead of the 2021 Games, instructing athletes to use them when they return to their respective home countries.