Athletes complain about lax virus measures at Olympics hotel

China's first athletes to arrive in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics have complained that poor prevention measures at their hotel will increase the risk of catching COVID-19.

After they arrived in Enoshima, a small island where the sailing events will take place, China's sailing team complained of insufficient precautions at their hotel.

"The Chinese team lives on one floor, but mixing with tourists in the hotel is certainly a hidden danger," Zhang Xiaodong, head of the Chinese Sailing Association, told Xinhua news agency. "We are consulting with the organizing committee on this issue."

The Olympic Village in Tokyo is sealed off, with only authorized staff allowed to enter. But the sailing and windsurfing competitions will be held far from the village, with competitors staying at a designated Olympic hotel near the venue.

The pandemic has cast a shadow over the Games with organizers banning all fans from venues in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures, in a huge blow for the event.

A few outlying areas are allowed to have a limited number of domestic fans – with overseas spectators banned months ago – and organizers have promised that the event will be safe.