Tokyo Olympics are not currently cancelled, despite report stating otherwise
UPDATE 6:10 a.m. ET: The IOC has released the following statement regarding the media report on the Tokyo Olympics, calling the rumor “categorically untrue.”
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UPDATE 11:00 p.m. ET: The Japanese government says there is no truth to report of possible Tokyo Olympics cancellation, per Reuters.
“There is no truth to a report about the possible cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai, a government spokesman, told reporters on Friday, denying a newspaper report that the event would be called off. The Times reported on Thursday that Japan’s government had privately concluded the already-delayed Tokyo Olympics would be cancelled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.”
In addition, Ian Chesterman, the vice president of the Australian Olympic Committee, addressed the rumor on Friday (Australian Time), saying, “The Tokyo Games are on. The flame will be lit on the 23rd of July 2021. This has just been reconfirmed again by the Japanese Prime Minister this afternoon in Parliament in Tokyo.”
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UPDATE 9:00 p.m. ET: The United States Olympic Paralympic Committee released a statement at 8:18 p.m. on Thursday evening in regard to reports that the Tokyo Games are to be cancelled.
“Any official communication on the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will come from the IOC, Tokyo Organizing Committee and the Japanese government,” the USOPC said. “We have not received any information suggesting the Games will not happen as planned, and our focus remains on the health and preparedness of Team USA athletes ahead of the Games this summer.”
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Original: Per a report from The Times, the Japanese government is said to have “privately concluded” the 2021 Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed last March and are set to take place from July 23 to August 8, 2021. In addition, the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games are to be celebrated from August 24 to September 5, 2021.
The news outlet cited a senior ruling coalition member as the source of the rumor, with said source saying there is agreement that the Games “are doomed.”
“No one wants to be the first to say so but the consensus is that it’s too difficult,” the source said. “Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
While the organizing committee is apparently trying to find a “face-saving way” to announce the decision, the Japanese government is looking at securing the games for Tokyo in the next available year, 2032.
Since the start of the pandemic, Japan was able to maintain some semblance of control over the pandemic, more so than other advanced nations, but a recent surge in cases has spurred it to close its borders and declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and other major cities.
A recent opinion poll showed about 80 percent of people in Japan do not want the Games to be held this summer.
Meanwhile, event organizers told Sky Sport News last week that they remained committed to holding the event this summer and had not discussed another postponement.
However, a statement released by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this week insisted the Tokyo Olympics will go on as planned this summer.
“We have, at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on 23 July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo,” said IOC president Thomas Bach. “This is why there is no plan B, and this is why we are fully committed to make these Games safe and successful.”
While Bach was firm about the 2021 Tokyo Olympics happening, he did hint at potentially reducing the number of spectators as well as employing other precautions in order to ensure everyone’s safety.
“The priority is the safety,” Bach told Kyodo News. “When it comes to safety, then there can be no taboo.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
