Preparation For Rescheduled Tokyo Olympics Underway, Do Not Feel We Are Late In Our Preparations: Toshiro Muto


Preparation For Rescheduled Tokyo Olympics Underway, Do Not Feel We Are Late In Our Preparations: Toshiro Muto

Due to the coronavirus pandemic Tokyo Olympic were postponed and now scheduled to begin from July 23 next year. On Thursday, CEO of Tokyo Olympics, Toshiro Muto was asked about the progress toward the reschedule of the Tokyo Olympic next year.

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“If you ask, are we just around the first corner of the 400-meter race, I cannot answer that question, But I can tell you this much. I do not feel we are late in our preparations. I do not feel we are being delayed in any way” Said Muto during an online news Conference.

A former deputy governor of the Bank of Japan, Muto cited the reason for the postponement of the coronovirus pandemic and says little about progress.  He said that until the plan reaches a “second phase” in the fall, very solid news is not expected.

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This includes who pays for the delay, which is estimated at $ 2 billion to $ 6 billion, how to secure fans, staff and athletes from coronoviruse pandemic and deal-making to secure the same 43 venues and the same competition schedule.

“Right now we don’t have any details or specific items that we can talk about, We all agree that in addition to heat countermeasures, we will have to have coronavirus measures”, he said in a statement.

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International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and IOC member John Coates, who oversees preparations for Tokyo, have speculated when games might be held.

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“We’ve got real problems because we’ve got athletes having to come from 206 different nations,” Coates said.

He estimated the number that 11,000 Olympic athletes, 5,000 technical officials and coaches, 20,000 media, and 60,000 volunteers.

“There’s a lot of people,” Coates said, without even adding 4,400 Paralympic athletes and staff.

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“October will be that point when we start the detailed discussions,” Muto said.

He said that excluded any decision about “go or not to go” on with the Olympics. Muto has always said that the games continue, though Bach and Tokyo organizing committee chairman Yoshiro Mori agree that they cannot be delayed again.

“This is a huge undertaking. This is a big job, We have to do in one year and a few months something that had taken years of actual preparations to do. So there are so many things we have to review and decide in such a short time” Muto said.

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