Olympians obliged to sign waiver assuming COVID-19 risk to compete in Tokyo Games

The International Olympic Committee and organizers of the 2021 Tokyo Games will require competing athletes to sign a waiver and assume all risk related to COVID-19 throughout the upcoming Summer Olympics.

Yahoo Sports obtained a copy of the waiver, which is similar to those signed by participants at previous Olympics, but this includes updated language that protects the IOC and organizers specifically against consequences of the coronavirus.

Section 4 of the waiver reads, in part: "I agree that I participate in the Games at my own risk and own responsibility, including any impact on my participation to and/or performance in the Games, serious bodily injury or even death raised by the potential exposure to health hazards such the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious disease or extreme heat conditions while attending the Games."

IOC chief operating officer Lana Haddad then confirmed that "entry forms have been in place for previous Games, and have been updated to include COVID-19-related consideration." She said that this was "to provide transparency and ensure the informed consent from the Games participants."

Haddad claimed that the waivers were "within the framework of the law."