Xtra Time Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with members of Indian Olympics contingent virtually on July 13 at 5pm. The Prime Minister will share his message to the Tokyo Olympics bound athletes.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will be sending its largest contingent ever to Tokyo, with 120 members showcasing across 18 sports, which is way more than what they competed in at Rio.
The quadrennial event will begin on July 23 and will run up to August 8.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Government on Thursday declared a state of emergency in the country to curb the surge of COVID-19 cases. No spectators will be allowed for the Tokyo Games. The decision of barring spectators was agreed on at a meeting attended by International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach and representatives of the four bodies, the organizing committee, the International Paralympic Committee, as well as the Japanese and Tokyo metropolitan governments.
Earlier, Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga made a decision to place Tokyo under the fourth state of emergency for the duration of the upcoming Olympics to curb a recent rise in COVID-19 cases.