January 21, Swiss local time, IOC President Bach said in an interview with the Japanese media that there was no alternative to the Tokyo Olympic Games, which had been postponed for one year due to the impact of the epidemic.
Bach denied both possibilities in response to speculation that the Olympic Games would be postponed or even cancelled again.
“Last year, the Tokyo Olympics were postponed. This year’s situation is different from last year.
All Olympic athletes are looking forward to coming to Tokyo to participate in the competition.” Due to the severe global epidemic prevention and control situation, there have been many pessimistic voices in the outside world, but Bach is full of confidence in the Olympic epidemic prevention measures, including vaccination against the novel coronavirus.
“At this stage, we have no reason to believe that the Tokyo Olympics will not open in July, and we have no options at this time and are committed to hosting a safe and successful Olympic Games,” Bach said.
This is basically in line with the previous official statements of the Japanese parties.
Recently, Yoshiro Mori, chairman of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, said in an online speech that the Tokyo Olympic Games, which has been postponed to this summer, is absolutely impossible to be postponed for another year.
On January 18, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiro Kan also expressed his determination to host the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer in his speech to the policy address, and said that strict epidemic prevention measures would be taken for the Olympic Games.
However, Bach also stressed that “in order to ensure the safety of the Olympic Games, all possible methods can be taken.” According to Japanese media analysis, the Tokyo Olympic Games may reduce the number of spectators or even be held empty.
For the sake of safety, the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee are likely to make certain sacrifices for this.
It is also reported that IOC President Bach intends to visit Hiroshima, Japan, during the Tokyo Olympic torch relay in May this year.
According to the torch relay plan previously announced by the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee, the event will start on March 25, starting from Fukushima, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster area, for a 121-day relay across Japan.
