"Case closed" - China assures IOC athlete political displays will not be repeated

The IOC on Saturday said the organisation considers the issue of Chinese athletes wearing pins of communist leader Mao Zedong at their medal ceremony as "case closed."

After winning the women's sprint in track cycling earlier this week, Bao Shanju and Zhong Tianshi wore pin badges of Mao, the founding leader of communist China.

"We have also received assurances that it will not happen again, and with this the IOC considers this case closed" said Christian Klaue, IOC director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

On the two Belarus coaches whose accreditations were cancelled over their involvement in trying to send sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya back to their country, Klaue said "they have left the Olympic Village and they will be given the opportunity to be heard."

While Typhoon Mirinae approaches Japan's East coast from Saturday and is expected to bring heavy rainfall, Tokyo 2020 spokesoerson Masa Takaya said competition schedules remain on track.