TOKYO – CIO President Thomas Bach and local organizers are pushing back against reports that the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be canceled.
Now open on July 23, the Tokyo Games were postponed 10 months ago to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and now the event seems threatened again.
The Times of London reported on Thursday that the games will have to be canceled. He quoted an unidentified senior member of the ruling coalition.
“No one wants to be the first to say that, but the consensus is that it is too difficult,” the source said. “Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
In a statement, the local organizing committee did not directly address The Times, but said the Olympics were moving forward and had the support of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
“All our delivery partners, including the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, the IOC and the CPI [International Paralympic Committee] are fully focused on hosting the games this summer, “the statement said.
“We hope that everyday life can return to normal as soon as possible and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure game.”
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement that it had not been informed of any changes to the status of the event this summer.
“Any official communication on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will come from the IOC, the Tokyo Organizing Committee and the Japanese government,” the USOPC said. “We have not received any information to suggest that the Games will not take place as planned, and our focus remains on the health and training of US team athletes ahead of this summer’s Games.”
The Times of London said Japan hopes to land the 2032 Olympics. The IOC has already awarded the 2024 Olympics in Paris and the 2028 version in Los Angeles.
The idea of Tokyo waiting a decade seems unlikely, given the cost of maintaining places, negotiating new leases and so on. Tokyo has already spent about $ 25 billion to host the Olympics, most of them public money.
Several cancellation reports began to appear this month, when the Japanese government put Tokyo and other prefectures under a state of emergency to counter the increase in the increased number of COVID-19 cases.
“Right now, we have no reason to believe that the Tokyo Olympics will not open on July 23 at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium,” Bach told Japan’s Kyodo news agency on Thursday. He added that there was “no plan B.”
Senior member of the International Olympic Committee, Richard Pound, said earlier this week that the Olympic Games could take place largely without fans, making it a major television event.
The Swiss IOC earns 73% of its revenues from the sale of broadcasting rights and has seen its main source of revenue blocked by the Olympic postponement. A largely TV-only event would suit the IOC better than a cancellation.
Unlike other sports companies that offer hundreds of games, the IOC has only two main events to sell – the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Bach suggested that radical changes may be needed to complete the Tokyo Olympics, which involve 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of coaches, officials, judges, VIPs, the media and broadcasters.
Approximately 4,400 athletes will participate in the Paralympic Games, which will open on August 24.
“You may not like it, but sacrifices will be needed,” Bach said. “That’s why I say safety first and no taboos in question to ensure safety.”
Japan has reported less than 5,000 coronavirus deaths and treated the virus better than most countries. But growth is not diminishing in Tokyo, a vast metropolitan area of 35 million.
Public opinion in Japan has turned against the games, with 80% of polls saying they should be postponed again or canceled.
Bach said the organizers are in a better position to support the Olympics now than they were 10 months ago, when the games were postponed.
“First of all, let me be clear that you cannot compare March 2021 with March 2020 because there is such great progress in science, medicine, vaccination and [virus] tests, “Bach told Kyodo.” All of these were not available in March last year. No one still knew how to really deal with the pandemic, and now we know a lot more. “
Japan is facing a slow release of vaccines. However, the IOC said its anti-virus measures will focus on testing, quarantine, social distancing and keeping largely isolated athletes.
He encouraged athletes to be vaccinated, but will not require it.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.