Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Tokyo Olympics: More questions than answers as one-year countdown begins

The challenges facing Tokyo Olympics organisers are unprecedented, but under questioning from athletes, fans and sponsors, they know they need to find some answers soon as the one-year countdown begins.

Tokyo 2020

Bengaluru, July 23: For now, Tokyo has more questions than answers as the Japanese city marks the one-year countdown for the rescheduled Olympic Games.

There will not be any big-time celebrations this time, especially with too much uncertainty over whether the Games will go ahead next year due to the threat posed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

On July 24 last year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach presided over a glitzy ceremony in the Japanese capital and declared Tokyo the best prepared host city he had ever seen.

Just two months later, however, plans that had been almost a decade in the making were shredded as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the IOC and Japanese government to take the unprecedented decision to postpone the Games, marking the worst disruption to an Olympics since two editions were cancelled during World War II.

Tokyo Olympics postponed by a yearTokyo Olympics postponed by a year

Even now, there is no guarantee that the Games will be held in a year's time if one goes by the official word.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe was one of the first to raise doubts as to whether the Games will go ahead as per revised schedule in the post coronavirus pandemic scenario. Athletics like other key sports has seen its calendar and finances badly hit by the postponement of the Games.

Can't guarantee that Olympics will be held in a year's time: CoeCan't guarantee that Olympics will be held in a year's time: Coe

Tokyo 2020 Games Organising Committe President Yoshiro Mori was bang on target while saying that it will be impossible to hold the Games unless a vaccine is found to contain the virus.

Though many other sports events have resumed without fans, Mori ruled out that possibility completely in the case of Olympics, which is the largest sporting spectacle on earth.

Tokyo Olympics chief Mori rules out hosting Games without fansTokyo Olympics chief Mori rules out hosting Games without fans

Tokyo residents have overwhelmingly voted in favour of either rescheduling or cancelling the Olympics altogether as they fear holding the Games amidst the pandemic will spell doom for the country as a whole.

Most of those backing a delay or cancellation said they simply did not believe the pandemic could be contained in time for the Games.

Tokyo Olympics may be delayed againTokyo Olympics may be delayed again

Residents want Games to be put offResidents want Games to be put off

Unlike other events, Olympics organisers have a tough job on hand when it comes to rescheduling the quadrennial extravaganza.

Bach has categorically said that rescheduleing the Games again will not be possible in the current circumstances.

Tokyo Olympics: Its either 2021 or never, warns IOC chief Thomas BachTokyo Olympics: Its either 2021 or never, warns IOC chief Thomas Bach

Tokyo Games could be downsized or simplifiedTokyo Games could be downsized or simplified

The challenges facing Tokyo Olympics organisers are unprecedented, but under questioning from athletes, fans and sponsors, they know they need to find some answers soon as the one-year countdown begins.

At last year's countdown event, organisers unveiled the medals at a ceremony attended by Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and the countdown clock in front of Tokyo Station was launched.

As the countdown clock has been reset for the new opening date of July 23, 2021, Tokyo, needs to find answers for all these questions sooner or later.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Story first published: Thursday, July 23, 2020, 10:33 [IST]
Other articles published on Jul 23, 2020