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The Tokyo Olympics were supposed to start next Friday. They are now scheduled to begin in July 2021. Here's an interesting piece by the NYT that sheds some light on the uncertainties of next year's event given the coronavirus situation in the US and other nations.
The re-elected governor of Tokyo, Ms Koike, pledged a "120 per cent effort" to ensure the first-ever postponed Games can go ahead. Koike said the city was committed to holding the event as a "symbol of human triumph" over the virus, but admitted it would be downsized.
Mr Mori, the president of Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, echoed these sentiments last week and posed a "Big if" question that nobody really wants to address right now: if the Games end up being scrapped, who will pay the damages stemming from the building of stadiums and selling of tickets?
Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13556891
Many health experts, such as Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, remain highly sceptical. As Covid-19 continues to spread, with more than 14 million reported cases and more than 600,000 deaths around the world, they say it's unlikely the Tokyo Olympics - and the Paralympics, which are slated to begin 24 Aug 2021 - can or will be held as scheduled: "I do not think (holding the) Olympic Games in 2021 is (a) realistic goal".
Another option under consideration is to scale down the games next year:
Source: Tokyo discussing scaled-down Olympics in 2021 to reduce costs
Meanwhile, only 23.9 per cent of Tokyoites want to hold the games next year. I have no doubts that this number will further decrease.
The Tokyo Olympics Will Open a Year From Now. Maybe. (Published 2020)
Japan has largely controlled the coronavirus. Large parts of the rest of the world, especially the United States, have not. A year before the rescheduled Games, that is still a major problem.
www.nytimes.com
The re-elected governor of Tokyo, Ms Koike, pledged a "120 per cent effort" to ensure the first-ever postponed Games can go ahead. Koike said the city was committed to holding the event as a "symbol of human triumph" over the virus, but admitted it would be downsized.
With one year to go, Tokyo 2020 confirms all venues and competition schedule for the Games in 2021 - Olympic News
The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee announced at today’s virtual IOC Session that all the venues intended for the Games in 2020 have been secured
www.olympic.org
Mr Mori, the president of Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, echoed these sentiments last week and posed a "Big if" question that nobody really wants to address right now: if the Games end up being scrapped, who will pay the damages stemming from the building of stadiums and selling of tickets?
Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13556891
Many health experts, such as Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, remain highly sceptical. As Covid-19 continues to spread, with more than 14 million reported cases and more than 600,000 deaths around the world, they say it's unlikely the Tokyo Olympics - and the Paralympics, which are slated to begin 24 Aug 2021 - can or will be held as scheduled: "I do not think (holding the) Olympic Games in 2021 is (a) realistic goal".
As COVID-19 pandemic rages on, experts say it's unlikely Tokyo Olympics can be held next summer
Experts say the notion of holding the Olympics as normal, with packed stadiums and grandeur, is unfathomable due to the trajectory of the pandemic.
www.usatoday.com
Another option under consideration is to scale down the games next year:
The Olympics were delayed for a year because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. According to one estimate, the additional costs to hold the event next summer will total 300 billion yen ($2.7 billion). However, the Tokyo metropolitan government has also been forced to dip into its budget to cover various support measures for local companies that have been asked to close or reduce operating hours to prevent a further spread of COVID-19 infections. The total cost of these measures has reached at least 1 trillion yen, effectively wiping out the metropolitan government's fiscal adjustment fund.
Source: Tokyo discussing scaled-down Olympics in 2021 to reduce costs
Meanwhile, only 23.9 per cent of Tokyoites want to hold the games next year. I have no doubts that this number will further decrease.
Only 23.9% of Japanese want Olympics next year: poll
Just one in four people in Japan want to see the coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Games held next year, with most backing either further delay or a cancellation, a new poll shows. Only 23.9 percent of respondents in the three-day nationwide poll published Sunday said they wanted to see the 2020 Games…
japantoday.com