The Japanese authorities have tacitly concluded that it is necessary to cancel the Olympic Games in Tokyo, postponed until the summer of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is reported by the Times, citing a senior government source.
The source said that Tokyo is looking for an opportunity to announce the cancellation of the Olympics “without losing face.”
After the cancellation, he said, Japan will focus on hosting the Tokyo Summer Games in 2032. This is the next Olympics, the organizer of which has not yet been determined.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has refused to cancel the Tokyo Olympics. IOC member Richard Pound said this in an interview with Kyodo News.
According to him, the competition should be held this year, as another delay would be difficult. Pound noted that if the situation with the spread of the coronavirus is rather difficult, then the Olympics may be held without spectators. He added that while it is pleasant to hold competitions with spectators, it is not at all necessary.
Earlier it was reported that more than 80 percent of Japanese want to re-postpone or completely cancel the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, postponed to the summer of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fact that the 2020 Summer Olympics has been postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic became known on March 24. The director of the organizing committee of the Games, Haruyuki Takahashi, admitted the possibility of re-postponing the Olympic Games. At the same time, he stressed that it is impossible to completely cancel the Games, as this will deal a huge blow to the economy of Japan and the world.
