Organisers to ban Olympic spectators as Tokyo declares coronavirus emergency

Ariake Urban Sport Park, a venue of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Tokyo

* Foreign spectators already excluded from delayed Games * Organisers to meet Thursday evening on domestic spectators: paper * Virus restrictions, public sentiment to affect decision Olympic organisers are set to ban all spectators from the Games, the Asahi daily said on Thursday, as Japan prepared to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo that will run through its hosting of the event to curb a new wave of coronavirus infections. Organisers were set to formally reach the decision on the spectators during five-way talks between key parties to be held on Thursday evening, the newspaper said, citing people involved in the Games. The move is the latest blow to the troubled Olympics, already delayed by a year because of the pandemic and plagued by a series of setbacks, including massive budget overruns.