The holding of the Tokyo Olympic Games 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.
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.
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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.
