Canadian gymnast Kyle Shewfelt, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games in the men's floor exercise, echoed compatriot Wiebe's comments, saying the vaccine is "liquid gold".
"From a moral standpoint, it doesn't sit right (with me)," Shewfelt said. "They (athletes) are already healthy, they're in an age bracket that hasn't been shown to be super vulnerable to fatal outcomes from this disease.
"As much as I want the Olympics to move forward... there isn't a doubt in my mind where (vaccines) need to go. The Olympics can still move ahead safely, regardless of whether athletes get vaccinated or not."
During his visit to Tokyo in November, International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach said athletes would be encouraged to get the vaccine but it would not be mandatory for their participation in the Games.