18 Athletes' Olympic dreams crushed due to Covid-19 at the Tokyo Olympics

Even before the Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Tokyo, there have already been numerous dropouts due to Covid and a total of 71 cases of Covid linked to the games.

More than a year later than the original start date, some worry the games could still be cancelled yet again. The virus is still running rampant in Japan, and the Olympic committee has had to take unprecedented actions in an attempt to keep both athletes and the public safe.

Thus far, a total of eighteen athletes have seen their Olympic dreams crushed by the coronavirus, with some athletes testing positive in Japan and others before their departure for the Games.

Join us for a look at which athletes are unable to participate in the Tokyo Summer Games due to testing positive for Covid-19, those that have refused to participate due to safety concerns, and discover the measures that have been put in place to keep everyone safe.

Katie Lou Samuelson -- USA Women's 3x3 Basketball

Coco Gauff -- USA Women's Tennis

Kara Eaker -- USA Women's Gymnastics

Taylor Crabb -- USA Men's Beach Volleyball 

Bradley Beal -- USA Men's Basketball (In quarantine but has not yet publicly disclosed a positive Covid test result)

Amber Hill -- Great Britain Shooting

Dan Evans -- Great Britain Tennis

Johanna Konta -- Great Britain Tennis

Pavel Sirucek - Czech Republic Men's Table Tennis

Ondrej Perusic -- Czech Republic Men's Beach Volleyball

Hector Velazquez -- Mexico Baseball

Sammy Solis -- Mexico Baseball

Thabiso Monyane -- South Africa Men's Football

Kamohelo Mahlatsi -- South Africa Men's Football

Alex de Minaur -- Australia Men's Tennis

Fernanda Aguirre -- Chile Women's Taekwondo

Candy Jacobs -- Netherlands Women's Skateboarding

Ilya Borodin -- Russia Swim Team

The 2020 Summer Games were meant to be held in Tokyo last year. However, as we all know, the pandemic stopped the Olympics from being held.

This year with vaccinations underway worldwide, it has been decided that it is safe enough to hold the competition. However, many are wondering just how things will play out. What measures are being put in place to keep all involved safe?

Japan declared a state of emergency due to a surging number of COVID cases on July 9th. Venues within Tokyo or close to the city and those in Hokkaido and Fukushima prefectures will not allow any spectators.

Initially, only international spectators were banned from attending the Olympics in person. Up to 10,000 Japanese sports fans per venue were supposed to be allowed to attend. Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto has apologized to disappointed fans saying, "I am sorry to those who purchased tickets and everyone in local areas."

However, CNN reported that the Japanese Olympic Committee has stated that some spectators will be allowed in the Miyagi, Fukushima, and Shizuoka prefectures. Venues are allowed up to 50% of their capacity with a maximum of 10,000 spectators.

Fans will also be banned from Musashinonomori Park, where cycling road competitions will start out. The Olympic Committee has also requested that spectators avoid the routes of the marathon a race walk events.

(Photo: By Fukumoto)

Japan has been slower than other countries with its vaccination rollout. At the moment, only 15% of the country is fully vaccinated. Health authorities in Japan are also concerned about the Delta variant.

The cities of Tokyo and Osaka have been the hardest hit by the recent increase of COVID-19 cases. Health care authorities aim to have the 65+ crowd fully vaccinated by the end of July.

Given the rise in COVID cases and the low level of vaccination in Japan, athletes visiting the country to participate in the Olympics will not be allowed to partake in tourism while visiting the country.

All the athletes participating in the Olympics in Tokyo have received a detailed playbook full of rules to keep them safe and prevent the event from turning into a superspreader event.

The measures in place include wearing a mask, maintaining a safe distance from others, avoiding public transport, and adhering to an "Action Plan," which covers the activities related to the games that they will be partaking in.

Athletes are also forbidden from hanging out when their event has finished. They are also required to depart the country, at the latest, 48 hours following the completion of their competition or if they are eliminated before the completion of the event.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently confirmed that medal ceremonies will be a no-contact event and that athletes must place their own medal around their neck.

Instead of an Olympics official placing the medal on the winners, the athletes will be presented with their medals on a tray, and they must pick their medal up and put it on themselves. Olympics officials are not taking any risks, and safety precautions are being taken very seriously.

With cases soaring in Japan and many other countries worldwide, some have chosen not to partake in the Olympics. According to the Associated Press, that is the case with North Korea, as the government doesn't want to risk exposing its athletes to COVID.

The country of Samoa has also decided not to allow its athletes to partake in the games. The country fears its weightlifting team could fall ill with COVID. However, Samoan athletes who reside outside of the country are allowed to participate.

Canadian Bianca Andreescu made an announcement earlier this week stating she would not be attending the games. According to CTV News, the athlete said that she was pulling out of the Olympics because of “all the challenges we are facing as it relates to the pandemic.”

(Photo: Wiki commons, by-SA 4.0)

Another Canadian, Denis Shapovalov, already pulled out in June. Shapovalov stated that it was “The best decision for everyone’s safety.”

(Photo: By JC - denis shapovalov (2))

Other athletes refusing to participate in the games over safety and other concerns include Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.

Without a doubt, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be a unique and possibly tense event. With many rules and regulations to follow and the fear of COVID on everyone's mind, it will definitely go down in history.