Canadian Jordan Dallaire-Gagn茅 just wanted to be part of the largest sporting event in the world. Working or volunteering at the Tokyo Olympics was top of mind when the Montrealer moved to Japan a little over a year ago.

But Dallaire-Gagn茅 said the Games should be cancelled as parts of the world face surging waves of COVID-19.

Dallaire-Gagn茅 and several other Canadians living in Japan said sports are about camaraderie, cheering fans, full stadiums and a festive atmosphere that spills into the streets. Canadians in Japan were looking forward to cheering Team Canada in Tokyo.

The idea of mostly empty stadiums, devoid of foreign spectators, feels wrong, the Canadians said, adding the focus of the governments, not just in Japan but from countries sending their athletes, should simply be to get through COVID-19.

B次元官网网址淚 mean, itB次元官网网址檚 just the whole idea of participating,B次元官网网址� Dallaire-Gagn茅 said in an interview from Tokyo. B次元官网网址淭his is almost a once-in-a-lifetime event. I would have kept my ticket. I would say I was there.B次元官网网址�

Calls to cancel the Olympics are growing. Anywhere from 60 to 80 per cent of Japanese residents in polls say it is their wish that the Games be cancelled.

The Olympics open on July 23 followed by the Paralympics on Aug. 24.

Dallaire-Gagn茅 said itB次元官网网址檚 hard to look at the part of the city that is supposed to house the athletes because it seems to lack a sense of light and life.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just like basically a part of town that could be used as a zombie apocalypse movie set,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e just there. ItB次元官网网址檚 just so sad.B次元官网网址�

A 6,000-member Tokyo Medical PractitionersB次元官网网址� Association has also called for the Olympics to be cancelled in a letter sent last week to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa, and Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the organizing committee.

The Olympics and Paralympics will involve 15,000 athletes entering Japan, which has had its borders virtually sealed for more than a year.

Rebekkah Nyack, an undergraduate student at Temple UniversityB次元官网网址檚 Japan campus, said she is worried about the spread of infection if the games go-ahead.

B次元官网网址淭okyo is such a dense city with so many people,B次元官网网址� said the Canmore, Alta. resident, who is studying international affairs.

B次元官网网址淚f thereB次元官网网址檚 a large outbreak thereB次元官网网址檚 a higher chance of me getting (COVID-19) and people in my community getting it.B次元官网网址�

Between one and two per cent of Japanese residents are fully vaccinated, and itB次元官网网址檚 unlikely that even the elderly population will be fully vaccinated before the Olympics end on Aug. 8.

Fans from abroad have already been banned, and Olympic organizers are expected to announce next month if local fans can attend in limited numbers B次元官网网址� or not at all.

Nyack said that even though the Games are a B次元官网网址渇antasticB次元官网网址� thing to happen every four years, it is far more important right now to keep people safe.

The idea of largely empty stadiums is disheartening, she said.

B次元官网网址淭he sense of community the sports bring B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 an important part right?B次元官网网址� she asked.

B次元官网网址淪o, if you donB次元官网网址檛 have that then whatB次元官网网址檚 the point?B次元官网网址�

Jared Parales said if the Olympics are held, tickets are affordable, social distancing measures are comfortable and all precautions are taken, he may go and watch the Canadian volleyball team.

The Calgarian, who lives in Tokyo, said heB次元官网网址檚 seen some sports events go ahead with cardboard figures filling seats, but added itB次元官网网址檚 not the same as having screaming and cheering fans.

Ideally, he said he wants to see the Games cancelled.

B次元官网网址淔or Olympics, a lot of people love it,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎nd I love sports. I love the Olympics. I want to see it happen, but I want to see it happen right and not right now.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Hina Alam, The Canadian Press, with files from The Associated Press