Confirmation came at a five-party meeting yesterday, which featured representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Government.

The IOC and IPC said they "fully respect” the decision not to allow overseas spectators, albeit both organisations have surely been expecting this outcome.

If the last few months of the COVID-19 pandemic had not highlighted the challenge of international travel, the publication of the first playbooks for the Olympics and Paralympics underlined how it would be impractical to have international fans present under the circumstances.

Critics have already wondered whether measures to limit athletes stays at the Games and restrictions on the movements of delegations and media representatives will be enough for Tokyo 2020 to take place safely.

Given the measures in place and the challenge of hosting the Games, inviting and managing overseas fans would have been an added layer of complexity for organisers.

IOC President Thomas Bach yesterday said he was "truly sorry" to disappoint families and friends of athletes, who will now be unable to attend the Games. The German official described the decision as a "great sacrifice", which will help ensure the safety of the event.

The loss of overseas spectators will clearly be a blow to the Games, with visitors unable to experience the hospitality of the Japanese people and the country’s culture, as well as watching sporting competition itself.

The family and friends of Olympians and Paralympians will be a loss for the athletes themselves, having been stripped of a potentially once in a lifetime chance to watch them compete at the Games. 

Viewers will lose out as well, as many of the memorable moments at the Games are provided by the athletes in combination with their families.

London 2012 is a clear example of this, with the reaction of Bert Le Clos to his son Chad’s victory in the men’s 100m butterfly final proving almost as memorable as the race itself. The cameras first captured Bert in the stands celebrating with the South African flag, before he was interviewed live on the BBC talking emotionally about his son's achievements.

Saburō Kawabuchi provided a rare case of a Tokyo 2020 official opening their mouth in recent weeks without causing offence, when the Athletes' Village Mayor recently said that holding the Games with no spectators would be "like cooking a meal with no seasoning".

There are still hopes that domestic spectators will be able to attend the Games, but the absence of an international cohort means Tokyo 2020 has lost even more flavour.

The decision to prevent overseas spectators from attending does not mean this issue has been fully resolved. Far from it.

Both Tokyo 2020, the IOC and IPC will have to carefully navigate the multitude of problems the decision will create.

Ticketholders will rightfully expect to be refunded. Authorised ticket resellers (ATR) and hotels in Japan will undoubtedly be fearing the potential loss of revenues at a time when the pandemic has heavily impacted the sector.

IOC members Spyros Capralos and Gunilla Lindberg were alive to the potential issues, with both deserving credit for raising valid concerns during the IOC Session earlier this month.

The IOC members had contrasting opinions on when a decision should be taken on the attendance of international spectators, but both were united in the view that plans needed to be in place to avoid legal challenges and costs.

"We must find ways to deal with people who have already booked and paid for airplane tickets, Games tickets and accommodation, who may now not be able to travel to Tokyo," Capralos said.

"Not to forget, many of these people are parents and relatives of the athletes, who have passion and commitment to witness the Olympic Games.

"If the decision at the end is not to allow visitors to Japan, Tokyo 2020 and the IOC should make sure we have clear and well-designed policies on refunding ticket sales and accommodation costs in order to avoid claims and legal costs."

Tokyo 2020, the IOC and IPC confirmed yesterday in a statement that "Olympic and Paralympic tickets purchased by overseas residents from the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee will be refunded", the ticketholders soon to be "informed of the refund mechanism."

The statement stopped short of mentioning the situation regarding hotels, with some having reportedly indicated they have no intention of returning money paid in advance and others suggesting only partial refunds.

CoSport, the official ATR in the United States, has said the refund process will likely be similar to how refunds were provided for those who chose the option not to attend due to the postponement. A statement issued by the company said it had learned from the situation and was "endeavouring to make the process smoother."

CoSport warned that refunds would not be immediate, as the ATR would have to work to secure money sent to Tokyo 2020 and hotels to secure tickets and hotel rooms.

The IOC, IPC and Tokyo 2020 will have to ensure the refund process is carefully managed, as delays and legal challenges could easily occur. It is not hard to envisage a series of legal claims, as suggested by IOC members, which could prove a public relations disaster long after the Games are due to be completed.

The decision potentially could have implications for National Olympic Committees, whose sponsors may have bought tickets.

The absence of athletes' family and friends has led to some speculating over whether the presence of IOC members in Tokyo would be a bad look for the organisation.

While the decision over international spectators has now been made, there are plenty of questions which organisers will have to provide answers to in the coming weeks and months.