Olympics LIVE: Last-gasp cancellation threat

Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto isn't ruling retired a last-minute cancellation of the Olympic Games amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Tokyo reported 1,387 caller COVID-19 cases connected Tuesday, the city's second-highest regular summation of caller cases since January 21, according to Tokyo Metropolitan Government's website.

And arsenic athletes person started to get up of the opening ceremonial connected Friday, the fig of cases successful Japan linked to the Games is present implicit 70, according to organisers.

"We cannot foretell what the epidemic volition look similar successful the future. So arsenic for what to bash should determination beryllium immoderate surge of affirmative cases, we'll sermon accordingly if that happens," Muto said during a property league held successful Tokyo connected Tuesday.

"During the past five-party talk, it was intelligibly stated we'll proceed to show the coronavirus situation, and a five-party speech volition beryllium held if necessary.

"The 5 parties are the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japan government, the Tokyo Metropolitan authorities and the International Paralympic Committee.

"At this stage, the coronavirus concern mightiness get worse oregon better, truthful we volition deliberation astir what to bash erstwhile the concern really arises," added Muto.

A Ugandan jock who fled during pre-Olympics grooming successful occidental Japan past week has been recovered and is being interviewed by police, officials said Tuesday.

Mie prefectural constabulary successful cardinal Japan said 20-year-old weightlifter Julius Ssekitoleko was successful the Yokkaichi city, 170km eastbound of his big municipality successful occidental Japan. Police are asking him what happened since helium fled his edifice successful Izumisano successful the Osaka prefecture Friday, leaving down a enactment saying helium didn't privation to instrumentality to his country.

Ssekitoleko near down his luggage and a enactment saying helium wanted to enactment successful Japan and work, Izumisano officials said. He did not conscionable Olympic standards successful the latest planetary rankings released aft helium arrived Japan and was to instrumentality location this week.

The pandemic-delayed Olympics unfastened Friday contempt mounting interest astir an upsurge of infections successful Tokyo, which connected Tuesday reported 1,387 cases, up 557 from a week ago.

On their accomplishment connected June 19 astatine Narita International Airport, a subordinate of the squad tested affirmative and was quarantined, portion the remaining 8 members were allowed to question much than 500km connected a chartered autobus to Izumisano.

Days later, a 2nd subordinate of the squad tested positive, forcing 7 municipality officials and drivers who had adjacent interaction with the squad to self-isolate. Health officials said some infected Ugandans had the delta variant, which is believed to beryllium much contagious.

The team, which ended its isolation and trained from July 7, headed to Tokyo's Olympic colony connected Tuesday without Ssekitoleko.