Long-distance runner Hitomi Niiya does not think Olympians should get special treatment when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines.
Niiya, 33, gave her opinion during a news conference on Saturday when asked about the International Olympic Committee's plan to offer vaccines to Olympic athletes. The IOC on Thursday announced a deal with Pfizer Inc. to provide doses to those participating in the Tokyo Games.
The vaccine rollout in Japan has been slow, and most of the public will likely be unvaccinated when the games descend upon the nation in July.