Closed door Tokyo Olympics ‘something we don’t want’ says IOC chief
Banning fans from the Tokyo Olympics is “clearly something we don’t want,” International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach said, adding that “multiple scenarios” were under consideration for the rescheduled Games.
Bach said safety was the top concern for organizers of the Tokyo Olympics, which were due to start next week but have been postponed for a year over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article continues after this advertisementBut he clearly signaled his reluctance to hold the Games at empty stadiums, now a common sight in sport as other competitions make a tentative return from virus-enforced shutdowns.
“Olympic Games behind closed doors is clearly something we do not want,” the IOC president told reporters in a video call.
“So we are working for a solution of the Olympic Games which, on one hand, is safeguarding the health of all the participants and, on the other hand, is also reflecting the Olympic spirit.”
Article continues after this advertisementBach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have both warned that it would be hard to postpone the Games beyond 2021, raising the nightmare scenario of the first Olympics to be canceled in peacetime.
“The first priority is about the safety of all participants of the Olympic Games,” said Bach.
“For this reason, we are working now on multiple scenarios of the organization of the Games with regard to the health situation of which we do not know how it will be in one year from now.”
Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike last month told AFP she would make a “120 percent effort” for the Games to go ahead, pledging the Olympics would be safe despite the pandemic.
On Wednesday Tokyo moved its coronavirus alert to red, the highest level, after a resurgence of cases in Japan’s capital.
For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.