Biden won’t attend Tokyo Olympics – POLITICO

Public health experts have expressed concern over Japan hosting a potential superspreader event starting next month amid low Covid vaccination rates, tallied at about 9 percent of the country, according to the World Health Organization. The games were rescheduled from last summer because of the pandemic.

The delegation could be led by first lady Jill Biden, though plans are still being drafted.

Then-Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence led the U.S delegation to South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics, with President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump then assuming the helm for its closing ceremonies.

For the 2016 Summer Games, President Barack Obama skipped the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, instead sending his secretary of State, John Kerry, to lead the U.S. delegation. For the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, the highest-ranking member from the Obama administration was Deputy Secretary of State William Burns. Two openly gay athletes, Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow, were also featured in the U.S. delegation, prominently sent over to a country with overt discrimination against gay citizens.