IOC considers scaling back or postponing Tokyo Olympics
The IOC is considering whether to scale back or postpone the Tokyo Games, but says cancellation isn’t an option.
The International Olympic Committee will spend the next four weeks deciding whether it will scale back or postpone the 2020 Tokyo Games, due to open on July 24.
But cancellation of the Games is “not on the agenda’’ although postponement is, the IOC said.
In the first sign that the IOC powerbrokers are preparing for major changes, committee president Thomas Bach on Sunday said the board was stepping up “scenario planning for Tokyo 2020’’.
The IOC executive board has decided to consult the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, Japanese authorities and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, “to assess the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including postponing the Games,” he said.
The IOC says discussions will be finished within the next four weeks
‘”A cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody,’’ the IOC said in a statement.
“Therefore, cancellation is not on the agenda’’.
The executive board said there had been significant improvements in Japan where the people are warmly welcoming the Olympic flame.
”This could strengthen the IOC’s confidence in the Japanese hosts that the IOC could, with certain safety restrictions, organise the Olympic Games in the country whilst respecting its principle of safeguarding the health of everyone involved,’’ the IOC said in its statement.
But it added ominously: ’’On the other hand, there is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of coronavirus in different countries on different continents. This led the executive board to the conclusion that the IOC needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning.’’
The IOC is facing a situation where some venues needed for the Games could potentially be unavailable if the dates are changed. But it is also facing mutiny from some countries where athletes feel their preparations have been so severely disrupted that holding the Games from July 24 was untenable.
The IOC added that the millions of reservations already made in hotels “is extremely difficult to handle’’, and the international sports calendar for at least 33 Olympic sports would have to be adapted.
Mr Bach has written a letter to athletes saying: “Human lives take precedence over everything, including the staging of the Games. The IOC wants to be part of the solution. Therefore we have made it our leading principle to safeguard the health of everyone involved, and to contribute to containing the virus.’’
He said athletes, national Olympic Committees and international sports federations hoped that “at the end of this dark tunnel we are all going through together, not knowing how long it is, the Olympic flame will be a light at the end’’.
One of the major sports, World Athletics said it welcomed discussions with the IOC to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“We stand ready to work with the IOC and all sport on an alternative date,’’ World Athletics said in a statement.
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