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Olympics will happen 'however coronavirus evolves': Tokyo 2020 chief

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jun 02, 2021, 02:08 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori on Tuesday said that the postponed Olympics will happen "however coronavirus evolves", reported AFP. Mori's comments come after Paralympics chief Andrew Parsons as the latter said that he is confident that the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games will go ahead as scheduled and will be "a platform to change to world" -- with or without spectators.

Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori on Tuesday said that the postponed Olympics will happen "however coronavirus evolves", reported AFP. Mori's comments come after Paralympics chief Andrew Parsons as the latter said that he is confident that the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games will go ahead as scheduled and will be "a platform to change to world" -- with or without spectators.

"We'll certainly go ahead however the coronavirus (pandemic) evolves," he told a meeting of Olympic organisers and members of Japan's ruling party in Tokyo. 

"We must go beyond discussion about whether we will hold it or not. It's about how we will do it. Let's think about a new kind of Olympics on this occasion," he added.

There have been dark clouds hovering over the postponed Games but the organisers are optimistic that the quadrennial event will go ahead without a hitch. The organisers have repeatedly said that Tokyo Olympics 2020 will go ahead as scheduled but question marks remain over whether crowds will be allowed or not amid the pandemic.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday told the steering committee of the lower house of parliament the government intends to extend the state of emergency in 10 prefectures, including Tokyo, by one month through March 7.

Stringent border restrictions imposed after COVID-19 infections spike have already forced the postponement of some sporting fixtures including 2021's first Olympic test event, which was scheduled for March.

The nationwide Olympic torch relay is still due to begin on March 25.

The Tokyo 2020 organisers are expected to chalk out further details of their extensive COVID-19 countermeasures that they have devised for the Games. However, the majority of the public have opposed to holding the Games this year. A total of 80 per cent of Japanese people asked in a January survey backing either further postponement or a cancellation.

Organisers have said neither of those options are on the table, and have received strong support from both the International Olympic Committee and athletes around the world.

(From AFP inputs)