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Grace Chingoma 

Senior Sports Reporter

THE International Olympic Committee will work with Zimbabwe, and other national Olympic committees in assisting, and encouraging athletes and officials, to get vaccinated ahead of the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

The Games were postponed to this year following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Following discussions by IOC president, Thomas Bach, on Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 with national Olympic committees recently, Zimbabwe and other countries are expected to actively engage with their respective governments about the vaccination situation. 

They are expected to report back to the international body this month. 

Bach held consultation calls with the National Olympic Committees as the Olympic Movement enter the final stretch in the preparations for the postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, and the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. 

According to IOC media news, Bach “explained that the IOC continues to work together with the Tokyo and Beijing Organising Committees, as well as with the local and national governments in Japan and China. 

“The IOC is also continuing to consult with the World Health Organisation to make every effort towards staging safe and secure Games. 

“In that respect, the IOC and its partners have been developing a toolbox of Covid-19 countermeasures, which includes immigration procedures, quarantine measures, testing, personal protective equipment, contact tracing and also vaccinations. 

“Vaccines are one of many tools available in the toolbox, to be used at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. 

“The IOC continues to strongly support the priority of vaccinating vulnerable groups, nurses, medical doctors and everyone who is keeping our societies safe.

“When vaccination is made available to a broader public, the IOC calls for Olympic and Paralympic teams to be vaccinated given their role as ambassadors of their NOCs and given the role of sport “to promote safe sport as a contributor to the health and well-being of individuals and communities.’’ 

This was recently stated in a UN resolution, which was adopted by consensus, in the UN General Assembly. 

This resolution also highlighted the importance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Bach reiterated the IOC’s commitment to delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 this summer, during a briefing to the media. 

“We are fully concentrated on, and committed to the successful and safe delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, starting on 23 July with the Olympic Games and 24 August with the Paralympic Games,’’ said Bach. 

“In the last couple of days, we had consultation calls with the International Federations and the National Olympic Committees, also getting reports from the athlete representatives. 

“All 206 National Olympic Committees, all the International Federations, and the athletes, are standing behind these Olympic Games. 

“We see the same commitment on the Japanese side with the Japanese government, the Organising Committee, and the Japanese Olympic Committee.” 

The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee have been working on qualification for the quadrennial games. 

The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, who lead one of ZOC’s priority code, said despite the coronavirus lockdowns, athletes have been trying to make the most of their preparations as they bid to qualify for the Games. 

One of the long-distance runners, Munyaradzi Jari, who is in Kenya for a three-month training camp, is excited after he made it in the top 100 of the Discovery Nike Cross Country in Kenya on Sunday.

Jari is bidding to qualify for the Olympic Games, working under the guidance of Kenyan coach Erick Kimaiyo 

The 30-year-old, this weekend came out in 63rd place, in a field of 320 athletes, at the 27th Nike Discovery Cross Country event held in Eldoret, which is seen as a conveyor belt for Kenyan athletes. 

“It was a great achievement to be part of the elite group and also be in the top 100 in Kenya,’’ said Jari. 

“It shows that my training is working and it will also boost my confidence. 

“This cross country will shape my training schedule, going forward, as we would be able to assess what I am lacking, and work on it until April, when I will return home.

“I am preparing for Lagos meet, which was postponed to April 10 this year but, if I get any races from now on, I am ready.’’ 

The athlete says it has been tough to plan, and prepare, as races keep on getting postponed. 

Jari has been working on strength training before he started work on his speed. 

He took part in the World Championships in 2019, which gave him an insight into what is needed, if he is going to be among the athletes to grace the Olympics.

Before leaving for Kenya, Jari was training on his own, after getting a programme  from his South African manager, Craig Fry, with NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, also providing assistance.