Tokyo 2020: Japan captain Yoshida questions Olympics spectator ban
The call to ban spectators from attending events was taken earlier this month after Japan’s capital city was placed into a state of emergency amid rising COVID-19 cases.
However, fans are still able to attend certain other sporting contests within the country away from the Olympics, such as Japan’s friendly with Spain in Kobe on Saturday.
A socially distanced crowd was present for the 1-1 draw and Yoshida has questioned why locals will not be permitted to attend matches when the Games begin next week.
“I think a lot of people’s tax money is going to hold these Olympics,” Yoshida is quoted as saying by the Asahi newspaper.
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“Despite that, people can’t go and watch. So you wonder about who the Olympics is for, and what it is for. Of course athletes want to play in front of fans.”
