The Tokyo 2020 Games (July 23, 2021) could take place even without a coronavirus vaccine, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Thursday, calling for the event to be a success despite its postponement of one year due to the pandemic.
“Sport is slowly but surely making a comeback” in the world, welcomed the IOC boss, and “a number of major sporting events have been successfully organized recently”.
"Very complex events like the Tour de France" which ended on Sunday "have shown us and have shown the world that we can organize safe sporting events even without a vaccine," he added.
Historic Games
The arrival of a vaccine and rapid tests for the coronavirus, however, would greatly facilitate the holding of the Games, agreed Mr. Bach, who was communicating by video conference with the Japanese officials of the organization meeting in Tokyo.
The Olympics scheduled in the Japanese capital for the summer of 2020 have been postponed for a year as the Covid-19 disease spread around the world.
They are now due to open on July 23, 2021, and organizers have repeatedly said that the Olympics will take place in one form or another, and will be safe for spectators and athletes alike.
Pharmaceutical groups are trying to speed up production of a vaccine to curb the virus, which has already infected nearly 32 million people and killed more than 970,000 according to official figures.
Several of them have reached the last phase of their clinical trials.
Recalling that "great challenges" still loomed on the road to the Games, Bach noted that it was impossible to prepare for all possible scenarios, and that the organizers would not make any premature announcements as to the form. final that the event will take.
"We are together on the same boat, the only thing we have to do is row in the same direction", launched the President of the IOC, calling to work with "diligence" and to "take the right decisions" the moment. came.
"I am sure that we will succeed" in organizing an Olympic Games which will be "historic", added Mr. Bach.
“We will make it a success, together.
"
Read also
Paris 2024 Olympic Games: hot spots on the map of Olympic venues