The most high-risk and controversial Olympics of modern times begin today (23 July) in Tokyo, having been delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In total, around 85,000 people – from athletes and trainers to officials, dignitaries and media personnel – are expected to have arrived in the Japanese capital in time for the opening ceremony today.

As the city is currently on a Stage 4 COVID alert (1,979 new daily cases were confirmed yesterday), all events will take place in front of empty stands, while a state of emergency will be in place in Tokyo throughout the Games to allow stricter limits on movement. This means, for example, that bars and restaurants won't be allowed to serve alcohol and will close at 8.00pm.

Olympic venues ​​outside Tokyo, however – in the regions of Fukushima, Miyagi and Shizuoka – will be permitted to have spectators up to 50 per cent of capacity, or up to 10,000 people (whichever is the lesser).

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is confident the measures in place mean the Games will be “safe and secure”.

To enable athletes to remain isolated at the locations of their events and avoid unnecessary travel, the Olympic Organising Committee has specified that each venue features a large-scale training centre with fully equipped gym and fitness facilities, to enable athletes to prepare for their events. There are 15 of these centres in total.

Across these facilities, a total of 1,500 pieces of fitness equipment have been made available for use by the 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes who are representing more than 200 countries and performing in 33 different disciplines.

The gyms were designed and equipment supplied and installed by Technogym, which has also provided a team of trainers to assist in the gyms and with related services – such as technical assistance.

Located in the Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo, the main Olympic Village will also offer a full range of Technogym digital products and services to meet the athletic training needs of all Olympic sports disciplines.

The other centres in the various competition venues have been designed to meet the specific training needs of the different Olympic disciplines.

The Tokyo Games marks the eighth time Technogym has acted as the official supplier to the Olympic Games.