Tokyo Olympic Stadium is the centre of the sports universe, but hardly anyone’s there.
The state of emergency due to Covid-19 means nobody is in the stands to watch the athletes compete, according to NBC news.
The people trickling through security and the Covid-19 checks were mostly members of camera crews, various technicians, and the occasional reporter.
The concession stands were shuttered. The turnstiles looked lonely. The handful of ushers on hand did not venture out of the shade.
The small army of robots programmed to help spectators find their seats and perform other tasks will sit idle.
The ubiquitous signs reminding spectators to social distance, sanitize hands and refrain from blowing on “noisemakers” will go largely unread.
Hopefully the robots enjoy the show and gives enough motivation for the athletes.
