Tokyo Olympics 2020 that was rescheduled to be held from July 2021 could be canceled if the Covid-19 pandemic continues into next year, according to the Tokyo 2020 president.
As per a report in CNN, when in an interview with Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports, it was asked about another postponement of the event, Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said: “No. It will be canceled then.
“The Olympics were canceled in the past for problems like war. We are fighting against an invisible enemy now.”
He also said, “The Olympics would be much more valuable than any Olympics in the past if we could go ahead with them after winning this battle. We have to believe this otherwise our hard work and efforts will not be rewarded.”
Japanese doctor Yoshitake Yokokura who is the President of Japan’s Medical Association said in a press conference that it would be “difficult to hold the Olympics” without an effective vaccine. He said, “I am not saying that (Japan) should or shouldn’t host it, but I expect it would be difficult to do so.”
“I want to believe that (the number of) infected people (in Tokyo) is decreasing. But there is not enough testing being conducted in Japan so it’s difficult to assess (if the number of cases have fallen).
“We need to monitor the situation for another week,” he said.
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 public relations office told CNN that “the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Games are already set in 2021.” It further said, “The mission of the organizing committee is to prepare for the stage for the Games next year.”
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