IOC President Thomas Bach says there is "no reason whatsoever" to believe the delayed Olympic Games will not take place in Tokyo this summer; Games organisers told Sky Sports News they had not discussed another postponement
Thursday 21 January 2021 14:57, UK
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach says there is "no Plan B" for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games.
Event organisers told Sky Sports News last week they remained committed to holding the showpiece event this summer and had not discussed another postponement - a view endorsed by Bach.
The delayed Olympics, which are due to start on July 23, are facing dwindling public support in Japan amid a surge in coronavirus cases across the world.
"We have at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo," Bach told Kyodo News.
The IOC said last year they would not delay the Games beyond 2021.
Japan has recently seen a rise in Covid-19 rates with many areas of the country in a state of emergency, but organisers "are not willing to see the Games behind closed doors".
Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa Takaya told Sky Sports News the Games' organising committee would watch closely how other sports started their seasons in Japan over the coming weeks to determine how spectators can be accommodated.
"In an ideal world the Games should be taking place in an atmosphere of celebration, composed by spectators and that is what we want to achieve," he said.
Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said last week he remained "hugely confident" the Tokyo Olympics will go ahead this year, even if they will be different due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
