Japan is preparing to host the Olympic Games this summer.

Welcome to the Olympic Games, COVID-19-edition.

Hugs, high-fives and handshakes are unnecessary forms of contact.

Cheering should be avoided, as should singing and shouting.

And that’s even if anyone’s there to watch, since international visitors won’t be allowed in Japan, and it’s unclear how many local people can go.

For athletes and others who get in, remember to keep your distance: 2 meters, unless on the field of play.

The alternating summer and winter games are the world’s biggest biennial party. Sure, they’re sporting events in celebration of humankind’s never-ending quest to be faster, higher and stronger. But at their core, the Olympics are a carnival of fitness and skill, dedication and determination. It’s a fundamentally social event where the most valuable social capital is a gold medal around your neck.

This year is different. The scaled-down spectacle, scheduled July 23 to Aug. 8, will be nonsocial, antibacterial and quite probably anticlimactic.

While vaccines are being rolled out globally, the COVID-19 pandemic still continues, including in Tokyo, where the Japanese government has recommended extending a state of emergency by another fortnight to help prevent a fresh wave of infections.

For athletes, officials and spectators, the need to be COVID-19-safe means running away from the blood, sweat and tears that comes with the pursuit of elite physical performance. But more than that, the guidelines issued in an attempt to make the event more sanitary may end up disinfecting the games from the Olympic spirit that runs at their very core.

This COVID Playbook issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) outlines rules for athletes, officials and media to follow at this year’s event, with the risk of being booted out if not followed. The guidelines mean no longer giving a congratulatory hug to the long-time rival who gallantly defeats you on the running track, or riding hand-in-hand in victory with a teammate at the velodrome. Those obligatory group high-fives on the volleyball court after every point could now be considered unnecessary.

The Playbook’s warning is harsh:

“Repeated or serious failures to comply with these rules may result in the withdrawal of your accreditation and right to participate.”

Japan and the IOC hope the spectacle in the summer won’t become a hot spot for further COVID-19 outbreaks. There’s one eye on the clock. In February, Beijing hosts the Winter Games 14 years after holding the summer edition. China is determined to forge ahead, and Japan is keen to prove that it can pull off an event despite the global pandemic.

Pandemic or not, the games must go on.

Tim Culpan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology.