With 30 days to go until the start of an Olympic Games dogged by the coronavirus pandemic and controversy, Tokyo Olympics organizers decided on Wednesday against selling alcohol at venues, backtracking on an earlier plan to allow alcohol after facing a barrage of criticism.

Organizers had earlier been considering a plan to allow alcoholic drinks at games venues starting in about a month, with some restrictions, including time limits, for selling them. That plan had apparently been made in consideration of a sponsorship contract with alcoholic beverage company Asahi Breweries.

The initial plan, however, provoked a public outcry earlier this week, with the hashtag "cancel the Olympic Games" garnering tens of thousands of tweets.