The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach hammered on Wednesday that it was "too early" to raise the uncertainties on how to organize the Tokyo Games, which will depend in particular on progress in the detection of Covid-19 and possible vaccines.
“We don't know what the world will look like tomorrow.
How can you hope that we know what the world will look like in 316 days? ”, Summarized the boss of the IOC, pressed for questions at the exit of an executive board of the body.
After the historic postponement of the Olympics to the summer of 2021 due to the pandemic, the organizers promised "simplified" Games, with more than 200 measures studied, but no concrete decision has yet been taken: a limitation of the number of spectators is particularly considered.
"In the coming weeks, you will see important and intensive discussions on the different scenarios intended to guarantee a safe environment for all those involved next summer", promised the German boss of the IOC.
"It's not easy, but of course social distancing is being studied," he said, while the Games must bring together 11,000 athletes from 206 countries, accompanied by at least 5,000 officials and coaches , 20,000 media representatives and 60,000 volunteers.
But "it is simply too early to give a concrete answer on the final scenario", "too early to set a deadline", insisted Bach, making "development of rapid tests" and possible "vaccines" against the Covid -19 two crucial parameters.
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Regarding rapid screening, he noted, “we can be cautiously optimistic, according to our information and the contacts we have with experts, the World Health Organization, but also with pharmaceutical companies.
We are also receiving encouraging news about the development of vaccines (...) They will not be the miracle cure, but they can greatly facilitate the organization of the Games, ”added the IOC President.
Monday morning, IOC Vice-President John Coates had promised that the Tokyo Olympics would take place "with or without" coronavirus and would begin "on July 23 of next year", in an interview with AFP.
However, Japan's borders remain largely closed, many experts doubt that the pandemic will be under control by next summer, and a large majority of Japanese now want a further postponement or cancellation of the Games.
The Japanese authorities, like the IOC, have made it clear that they do not want the Games to be postponed a second time.
But no Olympic official is publicly considering canceling the event, which would be unprecedented in peacetime.
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For John Coates of the IOC, the Tokyo Olympics will be held "with or without" the Covid-19