Normally, enthusiasm in the host country of the Olympics can be expected to rise steadily as the world's biggest sporting event draws closer. Not so in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tokyo Olympic Games will have a bitter taste for Swiss rider Steve Guerdat, one of the favourites in the show jumping competition, as host nation Japan battles with increasing Covid numbers.

He's 93 years old, but he's as fast as he ever was. After retiring from taxi driving, Ryuji Urabe gave up his driver's license, sit in the cockpit and became a YouTube sensation after his grandson started sharing online videos of grandpa racing in fancy sports cars.

Anti-Olympic protesters call for the Games to be cancelled with just over a month left until the July 23 Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony. A large percentage of Japanese residents remain sceptical that the biggest international event since the pandemic began will be safe.

The Olympic Games are set to open on July 23 in Tokyo. Nearly 70,000 visitors, including athletes, coaches and sport delegation members, are expected to arrive in Japan. The organisation of these Games has been difficult as the pandemic continues to spread around the world. While Japan has been less affected than most other rich countries, it has been comparatively slow to vaccinate its population.

On the eve of the highly anticipated clash between England and Germany, several lawmakers have spoken out in criticism of both the UK government and UEFA over the number of fans allowed to attend Euro 2020 matches.

The International Olympic Committee will allow athletes to make gestures of protest at the Tokyo Games. But they cannot target people, countries or organizations.

Australians seeking a vaccine appointment was like the Hunger Games, the health minister of New South Wales says. Elsewhere, Joe Biden has hailed "independence" from COVID. Follow the latest on DW.

Fans will be banned from Games venues in Tokyo, says Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa. The announcement comes after Japan's government announced a new virus state of emergency that will run throughout the Olympics.

Iniesta: ‘Spain has a big chance to go far’ at Olympic Games

Athletes from teams across the globe were filmed arriving at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Thursday, ahead of the Olympic games. Footage shows delegations from USA, Great Britain, Brazil and others greeted by the organising committee employees. The Tokyo 2020 games will be held between July 23 and August 8 after being postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Speaking at the end of the Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic palace overlooking St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis says he hopes the Tokyo Olympics will be a sign of hope and "universal brotherhood" during the coronavirus pandemic raging around the world.