Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (right) and Thomas Bach (left), chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), reaffirmed the holding of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games in July of next year, which was postponed due to Corona 19 during a meeting in November last year. /Photo = AP
Thomas Bach Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)Photo) Said that the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled for July, will proceed as scheduled, Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported on the 21st.
According to Kyodo News, Chairman Bach said in an exclusive video interview with Kyodo News on that day, “There is no reason to believe that the Tokyo Olympics will not start at the stadium in Tokyo on July 23rd.”
“This is why there is no’Plan B’and why we are committed to the safe and successful Olympic Games.”
“The IOC must be flexible and will need to make sacrifices to protect the lives of those involved,” Bach added. In response, Kyodo News interpreted that it was suggesting that the number of spectators could be reduced.
Chairman Bach also stressed, “Safety comes first. There are no taboos when it comes to safety,” he added, adding that “Next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics will proceed as planned.”
Earlier, Japan delayed the holding of the Olympics by one year ahead of the Olympics four months ahead of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 18) at the beginning of last year.
Meanwhile, recently in Japan, as Corona 19 spreads again, there are voices saying that the Olympics must be postponed again or held without spectators.
According to the results of a nationwide telephone poll conducted by Kyodo News Agency on the 9th to 10th, 35.3% of respondents said “Stop (cancellation)” and 44% of respondents “must re-postponed” to the Tokyo Olympics.
Bobae Lee, guest reporter at Hankyung.com [email protected]
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