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Tokyo Olympics will be postponed again if current COVID-19 situation persists, says LOC

The delayed Tokyo Olympics could not be held next year if conditions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continue as they are, the president of the organising committee said yesterday

President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee Yoshiro Mori (R), and Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto wearing face masks arrive at a news conference after giving a presentation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the rearrangement of the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games for next year, in Tokyo on July 17, 2020. – Tokyo 2020 organisers said on July 17 they have secured all the venues needed to hold the Olympics next summer, clearing a major hurdle to hosting the event postponed over the coronavirus. (Photo by ISSEI KATO / POOL / AFP)

The delayed Tokyo Olympics could not be held next year if conditions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continue as they are, the president of the organising committee said yesterday, reports Associated Press.

In an interview with Japanese broadcaster, NHK, Yoshiro Mori said he was hopeful the situation would improve and suggested a vaccine was the key.

“If this kind of situation (with COVID-19) continues, is it possible to hold the games?” Mori was asked by NHK.

“If the current situation continues, we couldn’t,” Mori replied, speaking in Japanese.

The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to open on July 23, 2021 — a year from today. A small, 15-minute ceremony without fans is scheduled for today at the new national stadium to mark the date.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese organisers have repeatedly expressed confidence the games will take place, though they have offered few details on how they can happen in the middle of a pandemic.

The IOC and organisers have also said the Olympics will not be postponed again and would be cancelled.

“It would be too much for us to answer each of these hypothetical questions,” Mori said. “I don’t think this situation will last for another year.”

Researchers have said a vaccine could be six-to-nine months away, which Mori said was the key. Some, however, question if young athletes should be a priority and if all would agree to be vaccinated.

“Whether the Olympics can be done or not is about whether humanity can beat the coronavirus,” Mori said. “Specifically, to develop a vaccine or drug is the first point.”

Organisers and the IOC say they want to simplify the games to help reduce the soaring costs. But officials cannot say now if fans will be permitted next year, or if athletes will face quarantines. They say few details will be available until the fall.

Plans call for the full contingent of 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympic athletes to be competing at 42 venues.

About 1,000 deaths in Japan have been attributed to the coronavirus. Tokyo has seen a rising number of daily cases in the last few weeks, which reached a high of almost 300 last week.

But the numbers are relatively modest for a metropolitan area of 14 million.

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