Paralympic gold medalist Rina Akiyama pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic torch relay at the eleventh hour this month, worried about drawing crowds that might spread the coronavirus, the latest in a series of cancellations that have plagued the event.
The withdrawal by Akiyama and more than a dozen celebrities from the relay, which starts Thursday, underscores the challenges facing organizers of one of the world's most complex events, which is being hosted by a nation where COVID-19 vaccinations have barely begun and in the midst of a yet-untamed pandemic.
"I'm a former athlete and know how important the Olympics and Paralympics are, but life should be prioritized above everything else," said the 33-year-old Akiyama, a swimmer who won gold in London in 2012.