Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee President Yoshiro Mori rejected the idea of holding the postponed games behind closed doors next summer, saying spectators are an essential part of sports.

“We shouldn’t make spectators go through hard times. Sporting events are all about the whole country empathizing,” Mori said in an interview with Kyodo News on Tuesday.

On Friday, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach hinted at possible spectator reductions at the Tokyo Games following their one-year postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic.