International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach on Tuesday said athletes won’t be required to administer a coronavirus vaccine to play at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and compulsory doses would be “going too far”, reported AFP.

Taking a vaccine would be a “free decision” for athletes and other people involved in the games, said Bach who is currently in Tokyo to boost confidence in an event deferred due to the pandemic.

During a tour of the Olympic Village, the International Olympic said, “There are too many issues to consider. This is a question of private health. It is a question also of (the) health conditions of each and every person. It’s a question of availability.”

The IOC, however, will urge the athletes and others to be vaccinated, characterising it as a “sign of respect” for other competitors and the Japanese hosts.

Tokyo Olympics 2020 was put back by a year to start next July because of the coronavirus pandemic; it has become the first Olympics to be rescheduled in peacetime.

Sounding confident, Bach mentioned that the organising committee would take “all the necessary precautionary measures, so that athletes can relax and feel safe.”

On Monday, he said the IOC would look to assist athletes secure shots if they are available and approved by the authorities.

Australian Minister for Health Greg Hunt on Tuesday said the IOC had reassured him “they have moved to secure vaccines for all athletes and officials who would be attending from around the world.”

“So our expectation is that there will be vaccines for all athletes from all nations and all officials from all nations, and they’ll be well and truly ready long in advance of the Olympic Games,” he added.