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Tokyo Olympics compromised in 2021, according to London Games official

2021-01-20T06:55:39.209Z


The director general of the organizing committee Toshiro Muto does not want to hear about a new postponement while conceding that the camera may be necessary.


The holding of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 seems "unlikely" as the coronavirus epidemic continues to paralyze a large part of the world, a senior official of the London 2012 Olympics ruled on Tuesday. Keith Mills, deputy chairman of the Organizing Committee of the London Olympics, which took place in 2012, therefore believes that the Japanese organizers should consider canceling them.

"Personally, from where I am, seeing the epidemic in the world, in South America, North America, Africa, Europe, it seems improbable to me"

Keith mills

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese Olympic Committee, however, remain determined to organize these Games in July-August, scheduled for 2020 and already postponed to 2021, despite the epidemic still present, as repeated by the Director General. from the Toshiro Muto organizing committee.

"The holding of the Games is our inflexible course and, at this stage, we are not discussing anything else," he said in an interview with AFP.

The scenario of a cancellation "is not under discussion", he insisted.

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“Personally, from where I am, seeing the epidemic in the world, in South America, North America, Africa, Europe, it seems unlikely to me,” Keith Mills told the BBC.

And, "if I were in the place of the organizers, I would make plans for a cancellation, and I'm sure they do, but I think they'll really wait until the last moment to decide in case the situation would improve, ”he added.

A state of emergency has been declared in Tokyo and other regions of Japan in the face of a resurgence in the number of contaminations, and public support for the organization of the Tokyo Olympics has plunged, according to polls .

But for the president of World Athletics, the international athletics federation, Sebastian Coe, these Games must take place.

“I don't think they need to be canceled,” he told Sky News.

“I think the Games will take place but they will be different,” he added.

With or without fans?

However, many questions remain unanswered, as Japanese borders are currently closed to foreign visitors, and major events are limited to 50% of their capacity, with a maximum capacity of 5,000 people.

A decision on the number of spectators allowed for the Olympics will be taken in the coming months.

"It is not desirable that there are no fans" in the stands, insists Toshiro Muto, while not being able to guarantee for the time being the presence of spectators, in particular from abroad: "I can't make predictions ”.

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Tokyo 2020" inflexible "on the holding of the Olympic Games this summer

The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee unveiled in December a battery of countermeasures against the coronavirus, supposed to allow the event to take place safely this summer, even if the vaccination is not widespread and if the pandemic is not under control by then.

The application of these measures is "the biggest challenge" for the organizers, said Muto.

He recognizes that some of these rules, such as the prohibition for fans to shout (to avoid postilions), will give the Tokyo Olympics a new atmosphere.

"The emotion that spectators will feel watching the action will not change," he believes, however.

“As long as there is sport, there will be excitement”.

Mr Muto acknowledges that the pandemic is very unlikely to be contained in the near future, but "that is precisely why we must remember the Olympic values", in particular "the peaceful coexistence of men through sport" .

"If we can organize an event the size of the Olympic Games in the midst of a pandemic, then the Tokyo model will become part of our heritage."

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Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-01-20

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