Olympics

People wearing face masks stand near a clock outside of an office building counting down the days to the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Mark Schiefelbein

Canadian officials to boycott Winter Olympics in China

Prime minister says country is ‘extremely concerned’ about China’s human rights abuses

People wearing face masks stand near a clock outside of an office building counting down the days to the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Mark Schiefelbein
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Susan Walsh
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Susan Walsh
Cai Qi, Beijing Communist Party secretary holds up the Olympic torch during a welcome ceremony for the Frame of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, at the Olympic Tower in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. A welcome ceremony for the Olympic flame was held in Beijing on Wednesday morning after it arrived at the Chinese capital from Greece. While the flame will be put on display over the next few months, organizers said a three-day torch relay is scheduled starting February 2nd with around 1200 torchbearers in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Canadian athletes must be vaccinated to compete in Beijing Olympics and Paralympics

The Canadian team was over 95 per cent fully vaccinated — but not 100 per cent — at the Tokyo Games last summer

Cai Qi, Beijing Communist Party secretary holds up the Olympic torch during a welcome ceremony for the Frame of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, at the Olympic Tower in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. A welcome ceremony for the Olympic flame was held in Beijing on Wednesday morning after it arrived at the Chinese capital from Greece. While the flame will be put on display over the next few months, organizers said a three-day torch relay is scheduled starting February 2nd with around 1200 torchbearers in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Team Saskatchewan skip Matt Dunstone directs his teammates as he plays Team Northern Ontario at the Brier in Calgary, Alta., on March 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Road to Canada’s Olympic curling trials crowded in Ottawa tournaments

The men’s and women’s champions in Saskatoon will wear the Maple Leaf in team curling in Beijing

Team Saskatchewan skip Matt Dunstone directs his teammates as he plays Team Northern Ontario at the Brier in Calgary, Alta., on March 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
A group of students from Uruguay pose for a souvenir picture on the Olympic Rings set outside the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Saturday, March 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

IOC suspends North Korea from Beijing Olympics for Tokyo no-show

Individual athletes from North Korea who qualify to compete in Beijing could still be accepted

A group of students from Uruguay pose for a souvenir picture on the Olympic Rings set outside the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Saturday, March 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Canada’s Brianne Jenner, right, and Germany’s Tabea Botthof, centre, battle for position as goalie Sandra Abstreiter looks on during third period quarterfinal IIHF Women’s World Championship hockey action in Calgary, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

After dearth of hockey, Canadian women’s hockey team savours Beijing preparation

Hockey Canada’s director of national teams intends to name Olympic roster before December’s holiday break

Canada’s Brianne Jenner, right, and Germany’s Tabea Botthof, centre, battle for position as goalie Sandra Abstreiter looks on during third period quarterfinal IIHF Women’s World Championship hockey action in Calgary, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Angela Bailey is shown in this August 2, 1985 photo competing at the National Track and Field Championships in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Jones

Canadian Olympic sprinter and record-holder Angela Bailey dies

Bailey’s 1987 Canadian women’s 100-metre sprint record time of 10.98 seconds still stands today

Angela Bailey is shown in this August 2, 1985 photo competing at the National Track and Field Championships in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Jones
Canada's Danielle Suzanne Lappage, left, and Russian Olympic Committee's Khanum Velieva during the women's 68kg freestyle wrestling match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Olds-born wrestler fails to advance to quarter-finals at Tokyo Olympics

Danielle Lappage, 30, lost 7-0 to Russian wrestler Khanum Velieva

Canada's Danielle Suzanne Lappage, left, and Russian Olympic Committee's Khanum Velieva during the women's 68kg freestyle wrestling match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Montreal Summer Olympics 1976: Weightlifting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/files

PHOTOS: A look at Olympic Games of the past

Japan is one of 19 different countries to host the Games since 1896

Montreal Summer Olympics 1976: Weightlifting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/files
Canada’s Margaret Mac Neil, left to right, Rebecca Smith, Kayla Sanchez and Penny Oleksiak celebrate a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, Japan on the weekend. (Photo by The Canadian Press)
(From left) Canada’s Margaret Mac Neil, Rebecca Smith, Kayla Sanchez and Penny Oleksiak celebrate a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn)
Canada’s Margaret Mac Neil, left to right, Rebecca Smith, Kayla Sanchez and Penny Oleksiak celebrate a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, Japan on the weekend. (Photo by The Canadian Press)
(From left) Canada’s Margaret Mac Neil, Rebecca Smith, Kayla Sanchez and Penny Oleksiak celebrate a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn)
President of the Japan Community Health Care Organization Shigeru Omi attends a joint news conference with Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Japan’s response to the coronavirus outbreak at Suga’s official residence in Tokyo. (Issei Kato/AP)

Tokyo virus cases hit 6-month high 2 days before Games open

‘What we have worried about is now actually happening,’ says Japan Medical Association President Toshio Nakagawa

President of the Japan Community Health Care Organization Shigeru Omi attends a joint news conference with Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Japan’s response to the coronavirus outbreak at Suga’s official residence in Tokyo. (Issei Kato/AP)
A group of students from Uruguay pose for a souvenir picture on the Olympic Rings set outside the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Saturday, March 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Tokyo Games may go without fans as Japan declares emergency

State of emergency was unlikely to trigger a cancellation of the games as COVID-19 surges

A group of students from Uruguay pose for a souvenir picture on the Olympic Rings set outside the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Saturday, March 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Canada’s Nathan Hirayama, right, dives to score a try in front of South Africa’s Sakoyisa Makata during the bronze medal match at the Canada Sevens rugby tournament in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2020. The Canadian men’s rugby sevens team will land in the the deep end at Tokyo Olympics, opening against Rio 2016 runner-up Britain before facing defending Olympic champion Fiji.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Canada’s Nathan Hirayama, right, dives to score a try in front of South Africa’s Sakoyisa Makata during the bronze medal match at the Canada Sevens rugby tournament in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2020. The Canadian men’s rugby sevens team will land in the the deep end at Tokyo Olympics, opening against Rio 2016 runner-up Britain before facing defending Olympic champion Fiji.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
In this July 1, 2021, file photo, men cycle along the wall installed to close off a park being prepared for the Olympics and Paralympics Games in Tokyo. The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics are shaping up as a TV-only event with few fans — if any — being allowed when they open in just over two weeks. Japan's Asahi newspaper, citing multiple unidentified government sources, says the opening ceremony will be limited only to VIP guests. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

Tokyo Olympics shaping up as TV-only event with few fans

Surging virus numbers in Tokyo are forcing a rollback in fans in the stands

In this July 1, 2021, file photo, men cycle along the wall installed to close off a park being prepared for the Olympics and Paralympics Games in Tokyo. The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics are shaping up as a TV-only event with few fans — if any — being allowed when they open in just over two weeks. Japan's Asahi newspaper, citing multiple unidentified government sources, says the opening ceremony will be limited only to VIP guests. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
Team Canada huddle up during action against Brazil at the HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens at Westhills Stadium in Langford, B.C., on Saturday, May 27, 2017. Team Canada won 33-5. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

11 B.C. athletes named to Canada’s rugby sevens for Tokyo Olympics

Both teams are home at the Al Charron National Training Center in Langford preparing for the Games

Team Canada huddle up during action against Brazil at the HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens at Westhills Stadium in Langford, B.C., on Saturday, May 27, 2017. Team Canada won 33-5. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
during the second half of a women’s exhibition basketball game, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Bridgeport, Conn. (AP/Jessica Hill)

Canadian basketball player may be forced to choose between infant daughter, 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Kim Gaucher says COVID-19 rules prevent her from bringing her daughter, Sophie, to the Tokyo Olympics next month

during the second half of a women’s exhibition basketball game, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Bridgeport, Conn. (AP/Jessica Hill)
Andre de Grasse, of Canada, celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men’s 200 meters at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Hassan Ammar

Canadian government grants border exemption for Olympic athlete bubbles

They’ll be restricted to their accommodation and training facilities and won’t be able to interact with the public

Andre de Grasse, of Canada, celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men’s 200 meters at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Hassan Ammar
Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts. As he plays Serbia’s Novak Djokovic rduring their semifinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Friday, June 11, 2021 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Nadal, Osaka both out for Wimbledon; she’ll go to Olympics

Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka are sitting out Wimbledon, leaving the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament without two of the sport’s biggest stars

Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts. As he plays Serbia’s Novak Djokovic rduring their semifinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Friday, June 11, 2021 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health Director General Nobuhiko Okabe speaks during a press conference after a roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures at Tokyo 2020 Games in Tokyo, Friday, June 11, 2021. A group of experts participated in a third roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures proposed for audience-related infection control. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan eases virus emergency ahead of Olympics

In Tokyo, new cases are down to 500 per day from about 1,100 in mid-May

Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health Director General Nobuhiko Okabe speaks during a press conference after a roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures at Tokyo 2020 Games in Tokyo, Friday, June 11, 2021. A group of experts participated in a third roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures proposed for audience-related infection control. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)
Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health Director General Nobuhiko Okabe speaks during a press conference after a roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures at Tokyo 2020 Games in Tokyo, Friday, June 11, 2021. A group of experts participated in a third roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures proposed for audience-related infection control. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)

Tokyo Olympics still undecided on fans — or no fans at all

Fans from abroad already banned from what is shaping up to be a largely made-for-television event

Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health Director General Nobuhiko Okabe speaks during a press conference after a roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures at Tokyo 2020 Games in Tokyo, Friday, June 11, 2021. A group of experts participated in a third roundtable on COVID-19 countermeasures proposed for audience-related infection control. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)