After the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic Games, an emergency group has to answer "thousands of questions". The new date for 2021 should be found as soon as possible. IOC chief Bach expects "victims and compromises" from everyone involved.
Lausanne (dpa) - Looking for a new date for the Tokyo games, which have been moved to next year, IOC boss Thomas Bach does not rule out the Olympics in spring either.
"It is not limited to the summer months. All options until summer 2021 are on the table," said the President of the International Olympic Committee. An emergency group should from now on deal with all consequences of the postponement of the Olympic Games.
"It's a big puzzle, every part has to fit. If you take out a part, the whole puzzle is destroyed. That's why I don't envy the members of this task force," said Bach. The IOC and Japanese hosts agreed on Tuesday to postpone the Tokyo Games to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But then they should take place "not later than in summer".
The Olympic makers now want to quickly coordinate with all 33 international sports associations. Bach already announced that there could be a common phone switch on Thursday. "This is the first step. Then we have to see what options we have," said the 66-year-old. But the other sports calendar around the Olympic Games must also be considered. "We should come to a solution as soon as possible," said Bach. The choice of the date must be considered carefully.
As one of "many thousands of questions", the task force called "Here we go" will also examine the question of whether the athletes will have to do without an Olympic village in Tokyo in 2021. "These postponed Olympic Games will require sacrifice and compromise from everyone involved. We have to find the best possible solution," said Bach.
The joint athletes' village in Tokyo was intended for the approximately 11,000 Olympic starters and their supervisors and later for around 4,400 Paralympics participants. The more than 5,000 apartments in the Olympic village should be handed over to private owners this year after the Summer Games and the Paralympics and some of them have already been sold.
"We do what we can to make sure there is an Olympic village. The heart of the games usually beats there, but it's an unprecedented challenge," said Bach. The athletes would likely have to adapt to different living conditions, added the 66-year-old President of the International Olympic Committee.
IOC release
Message from IOC President Bach to athletes
Report of the "mirror"