THIS summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be closed off from overseas fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ticket holders unable to attend the Games must apply for refunds after being told they will have to watch from home.

Organisers have confirmed SunSport's reports from earlier this month.

Team GB bosses told athletes at the start of the year not to expect to compete in front of their friends and families.

Some 600,000 Olympic tickets held by fans from outside of Japan will be eligible for refunds with 300,000 to be handed out for the Paralympics.

Talks were held between local organisers, the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) before the decision was confirmed on Saturday.

Upon the announcement, Tokyo 2020 organising committee Toshiro Muto refused to say how much the refunds would cost the Games.

Hotel cancellation costs will not be covered as Muto stated the decision will 'ensure a safe and secure Games for all participants and the Japanese public'.

The Olympics, delayed by a year due to the pandemic, commence on July 23 with the Paralympics beginningon August 24.

Japan has recently experienced a rise in coronavirus rates but the month-long state of emergency imposed on Tokyo ends next week.

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There are hopes that local fans will still be allowed to attend the Games despite IOC bosses accepting earlier this year that events could take place behind closed doors.

Tokyo organisers have faced a plethora of issues in finalising their plans for the disrupted games, including the resignations of a creative director for planning to dress a woman up as a pig for the opening ceremony.

And organiser Yoshiro Miro was forced to quit weeks following a separate sexism row.

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