Amid cancellation talk, Tokyo Olympics `focused on hosting'

IOC President Thomas Bach and local organizers are pushing back against reports that postponed Tokyo Olympics will be canceled. w set to open July 23, Tokyo Games were postponed 10 months ago at outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, and w event appears threatened again.

Times of London, citing unidentified government sources, reported that games will have to be canceled. It quoted an unidentified senior member of ruling government coalition. “ one wants to be first to say so but consensus is that it’s too difficult,” source said. “Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.” In a statement Friday, local organizing committee did t dress directly Times story, but said Olympics were going forward and h support of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

“All our delivery partners including national government, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, IOC and IPC (International Paralympic Committee) are fully focused on hosting games this summer,” statement said.

“We hope that daily life can return to rmal as soon as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure games.”

Times of London said Japan hoped to land 2032 Olympics. IOC has alrey awarded 2024 Olympics to Paris and 2028 version to Los Angeles. idea of Tokyo waiting a dece seems unlikely, given cost of maintaining venues, negotiating new leases, and so forth. Tokyo has alrey spent about $25 billion to organize se Olympics, most of which is public money. Several reports of a cancellation began to surface this month when Japanese government put Tokyo and or prefectures under a state of emergency order to counter a surge of rising COVID-19 cases.

“We have at this moment, reason whatsoever to believe that Olympic Games in Tokyo will t open on 23rd of July in Olympic stium in Tokyo," Bach told Japanese news ncy Kyodo on Thursday. He also said re is “ Plan B.”

Senior International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound said earlier in week that Olympics may be held largely without fans, making it a mostly television event. Switzerland-based IOC gets 73% of its income from selling brocast rights and has seen its main revenue source stalled by Olympic postponement. A largely TV-only event would suit IOC better than a cancellation.

Unlike or sports businesses that offer hundreds of games, IOC has only two main events to sell — Summer and Winter Olympics. Bach hinted that rical changes may be needed to pull off Tokyo Olympics, which involve 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of coaches, officials, judges, VIPS, media and brocasters. About 4,400 athletes will attend Paralympics, which are set to open Aug. 24.

“You may t like it but sacrifices will be needed, “ Bach said. “This is why I’m saying, safety first, and taboo in discussion to ensure safety.”

Japan has reported fewer than 5,000 deaths from coronavirus and has handled virus better than most countries. But surge is t tapering off in Tokyo, a sprawling metropolitan area of 35 million. Public opinion in Japan has also turned against games with 80% in several polls saying y should be postponed again or canceled. Bach said organizers were in a better position to hold Olympics w than y were 10 months ago when games were postponed.

“First of all, let me be clear that you cant compare March 2021 with March 2020 because re is such great progress in science, medicine, vaccination and (virus) tests,” Bach told Kyodo. "All this was t available in March last year. body knew yet how really to deal with pandemic, and w we kw much more.”

Japan is experiencing a slow roll out of vaccines. However, IOC has said its measures against virus will focus on testing, quarantines, social distancing and keeping athletes largely isolated. It has encourd athletes to be vaccinated but will t require it.