“Anything can happen”: Cloud hangs over Olympics
With barely six months to go, there are conflicting views on whether the Games can proceed in Tokyo.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Coronavirus, News, Olympics
Will the Games go ahead?
With barely six months until the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are set to begin, there are conflicting opinions on whether they will take place, currently rescheduled for July 23rd (Paralympics August 24).
Tokyo and 10 of Japan’s prefectures are currently in a state of emergency due to COVID-19 , with restaurants and bars forced to close from 8pm, while foreign visitors are also banned from entering the country.
“We need to do the best we can to prepare for the Games at this moment, but it could go either way,” Japan’s administrative and regulatory reform minister, Taro Kono, said in an interview on Thursday.
“Anything is possible, but as the host of the Games we need to do whatever we can, so that when it’s a Go, we can have a good Olympic Games. The Olympic Committee must be thinking about Plan B, Plan C. But the situation is not easy.”
Dick Pound, a senior member of the IOC has also said,”I can’t be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus. I would give it 3-to-1 odds of going ahead on the basis of what we know today.”
But Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa Takaya told Sky Sports News on Wednesday, “To be very clear, we have never discussed another postponement of the Games. We have 100% concentration and focus on the delivery of a safe and secure Games this summer.
“The COVID situation is of course still an ongoing issue for everyone in the world but we will deliver the Games this year, starting July 23.”
Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee Director General/CEO Muto Toshiro also said, “In order for the Tokyo 2020 Games to take place, garnering the understanding of the nation is essential. Rather than wonder what will become of the Games amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe our mission is to consider what needs to be done in order to deliver the Games in this situation. There is still a lot more to be done, but let us join our efforts to hold a successful Games.”
Source: Insider
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- Tagged with Olympics, Paralympics
21 Responses
The Spanish Flu pandemic lasted for over 3 years, so with COVID-19 having every similarity with the A/H1N1 strain 100 years ago, no one in authority anywhere should have any illusions of what lies ahead.
They should cancel it and have Tokyo host 2024, with each host city delaying their original date by 4 years. If there is an outbreak at the games the competitors are literally taking it back to every country on earth.
… “late 2021 or 2022”? … except the Winter Games are due to start in Beijing on 4 February 2022 …
Being in Japan this Olympics will go ahead if at all possible, if numbers of countries choose not to go it will out of the IOC’s hands.
I’m surprised they’re even considering it. Just postpone Tokyo until 2024 and bump all the subsequent host cities as well.
That’s a pretty decent suggestion but don’t call it a postponement otherwise they’ll be calling it Tokyo 2020 still lol.
Gotta shift all that 2020-branded merch though!
Would have to be cancelled, like 1940 and 1944 due to WW2
There were more than 11,000 Athletes in 2016 Olympics, imagine the rules, social distancing, staff members for this year. With Japan records 6,000+ cases each day I think the Olympics would be hard to go ahead.
… some of my former colleagues in Olympic Broadcasting Services have been laid off, left Madrid and returned to their home countries and former lives with the expectation that Tokyo will not proceed … and there’s a political cloud hanging over Beijing for the Winters in 2022 as well …
The 2021 Olympics are going to be like the NBA bubble
I think the games are certainly in the balance. There has to be a cut off date, probably April/May. Just too many cases of covid surging in much of the world
Push back another year, or scrap it.
My thoughts is the event goes ahead this year or is scrapped. There’s only so many times you can postpone something.
Can you imagine how long the opening ceremony would for you when the athletes enter the venue with social distancing? My gosh, it will lead into the next olympics
There’s also been talk here in Birmingham this week that the 2022 Commonwealth Games may be postponed or indeed not go ahead at all.
I wouldn’t be surprised,and to be honest do we really need a commonwealth games anymore,all these events cost money and basically lose money and we’ve all seen the results.
When the Tokyo games are cancelled I cant see it being delayed it’ll be scrapped till 2024 at the next country ,all that money even before Covid hit.
Get real people, they will not happen !
Tell ’em they’re dreaming.
If the games go ahead I think it might be virtual, athletes competing in events in their own countries with Olympic officials watching and recording their times for the event. There’s no other way they can go ahead.
Just look at the tennis, players have arrived in Australia but now have to quarantine under stricter rules because some people on the flights tested positive.
The Olympics won’t being ahead in 2021.
That’d be awesome for Boxing/Wrestling/Table Tennis. Time to dust off the Wii