With Tokyo 2020 overshadowed by Covid-19, athletes are left to bring light to troubled Olympics

The Covid-19 pandemic has loomed large over the Tokyo Olympics ever since last year's postponement, shaping a Games the like of which has never been seen before.

When the opening ceremony gets underway on Friday, it will put an end to months of speculation over whether the Olympics would be even able to go ahead, as well as prompting further questions about how Covid-19 could shape the weeks to come.

Tokyo 2020 will host about 11,000 athletes -- representing more than 200 countries -- and they will be staying in 21 residential buildings.

However, not all of these athletes will be in Tokyo for the whole duration of the Games. Organizers say athletes will be expected to arrive in the Olympic Village five days prior to their competition and depart a maximum of two days after.

Even so that presents a significant logistical headache for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the local organizing committee.

Added to that is the longstanding resistance to staging the Olympics among the Japanese public.