Kyodo News on January 24, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Bach released a video on the 22nd, six months before the countdown to the opening of the Tokyo Olympics affected by Coronavirus pandemic on the 23rd.
In it, Bach said, “We will decide in due course on the means needed to deal with the epidemic.
This also involves the audience. How many people? Can we get spectators in?” He believes running the race on an empty field could also be an option.
Bach gave a negative opinion on empty stadiums back in October last year.
In an interview with Kyodo News on the 21st of this month, he denied that the Tokyo Olympics would be cancelled or postponed again, saying only that “there is no taboo about putting safety first” in terms of how to arrange for spectators.
The IOC members and 206 National and Regional Olympic Committees (NOCs), who exchanged views on the 21st and 22nd, did not raise any objections to holding the games this summer.
“All prospects are good and we are working desperately,” Bach said, adding that “preparations are advancing for all possible scenarios in July and August, covering a wide range of issues” and including quarantine, testing methods and vaccination as topics to be explored.
