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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
IOC president Thomas Bach is confident that many athletes would have received Covid-19 vaccination by the time the Tokyo Olympics start since most national Olympic committees are helping each other.

The IOC has always maintained that vaccination is voluntary but ensures the safety of everyone who will be in Tokyo for the games this summer.

He, however, says the athletes will not jump the queue. According to inside games, Bach says it is encouraging that there is good progress.
“We can see very good progress there,” said Bach.

“The great number of National Olympic Committees have already announced that their athletes will be vaccinated including the United States with their big team and number of others.

“Some teams have already been vaccinated and some already have an agreement with their Government to be vaccinated.

“There we are not only confident, but I think we can already say now that there really big, a big number of the participants living in the Athlete Village will be vaccinated for their own safety but also as we have said from the very beginning in solidarity with the Japanese popularity,” he said.

In Zimbabwe, the vaccination programme is ongoing and some athletes from sport codes such as football have taken advantage of the programme to get vaccinated.

The Government has rolled out the programme, which is voluntary and has seen athletes and officials also taking turns to get their jabs as the national vaccination drive gains momentum.

Players from football clubs such as Dynamos, Highlanders, CAPS United, Black Rhinos and Correctional Services teams have already been vaccinated

So far, rowing has qualified for a slot in the men’s single scull while the rest of the targeted sport codes are still vying for Tokyo Olympics qualification.

National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe has quite a number of track athletes and marathon runners who are still fighting to punch their tickets for the Tokyo Games.

NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, said he was out of the office and is not in a position to confirm whether any of the Olympic hopefuls have been vaccinated.

Sprinters Ngoni Makusha and Dickson Kamungeremu lead a cast of track athletes and marathon runners are still chasing qualification.