Tokyo Olympics: Second postponement impossible, cancellation cloud hangs over Games

Tokyo Olympics: Second postponement impossible, cancellation cloud hangs over Games

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The Tokyo Olympics were postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year and time and again, the organizers have kept reassuring athletes and fans that the Games will take place as rescheduled in July of 2021. The pandemic has already taken a huge toll on finances with the Games being the most expensive Summer Olympics ever. Now, it has been understood that a second postponement is impossible and the games will be cancelled if the organizers are unable to pull it off.

The pandemic and other costs due to delays have led to the cost reaching $2.8 billion and the same is expected to rise to $15.8 billion. The organizers have made efforts to reduce costs by reducing ceremonies and keeping all sponsors on board. On the other hand, athletes are sweating on whether the Games will take place as well, with various qualification tournaments not having taken place yet.

‘We need to remember the value of the Olympics’

The CEO of Tokyo 2020, Toshiro Muto spoke to AFP today about the cloud hanging over the games saying, “It’s precisely because we’re in this situation that we need to remember the value of the Olympics — that humankind can coexist peacefully through sport.”

Meanwhile, the former deputy chairman of London 2012, Keith Mills stated that the games were unlikely to happen while British Olympian Matthew Pinsent stated that conducting the games was ‘ludicrous’. Meanwhile, people in Tokyo have also disapproved of the games happening with a public poll revealing that 35% of people wanted cancellation and 45% wanted postponement. The signs look a bit ominous now for the organizers with a huge fear of cancellation hanging large over the games.

Also Read: Tokyo Olympics: Senior IOC member “can’t be certain” that the Games will happen