International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president and chair of the Tokyo Coordination Commission John Coates has shot down media reports suggesting Tokyo is looking for a way out of this year’s postponed Olympic Games.
Key points:
- Coates says no discussions have taken place about cancelling the Tokyo Games
- Japan’s Prime Minister rejects the suggestion his Government want to cancel the Games
- AOC boss Matt Carroll says the Games will be more athlete-focussed, but will take place
Coates was referring to an article published in the London newspaper The Times that said the Japanese Government had concluded the Games would have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, citing one unidentified source from the ruling coalition.
“There has been no discussion on cancellation,” Mr Coates told The Ticket.
“At the end of the day, politicians do have to take into account the feelings of those inside their party and the general public.
“But this is not the message we are getting from Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga or the president of the Tokyo Organising Committee Yoshiro Mori, himself a former prime minister.”
Coates said he had a discussion with Tokyo Olympics chief executive Toshiro Muto on Thursday night regarding all aspects of the Games.
“Last night I had my weekly meeting with CEO Toshiro Muto going through accommodation details, ticket refunds for those that want them, the normal stuff,” he said.
“I had a catch-up outside of our formal meetings with president Mori and he said to me, ‘We are preparing for worst-case possibilities and counter measures for delivering the Games … we won’t know until March or April or May how many spectators we can have’.”
The “worst-case” scenario being planned for is not a cancellation of the Games, but further restrictions that might be necessary to deal with any spike in Covid-19 infections.
Tokyo, as well as a number of other prefectures, is in a current state of emergency.
Tokyo has reported more than 1,000 Covid-19 infections for nine straight days.
With the Games not due to begin until July 23, it is expected the winter spike would have receded and the national rollout of the vaccine would be widespread.
This has not prevented concerns within the general population, with 80 per cent not wanting the Games to go ahead this year, although a majority support another postponement rather than a cancellation.
The IOC has already said a further postponement is out of the question.
“Is polling a concern? The public don’t understand it can’t be postponed again,” Coates said.
“The Tokyo organisers are upset that Japanese media pays more attention to negative media reporting from overseas than to the positive support of the IOC president Thomas Bach.”
IOC heavyweights, including Bach and Coates, are due to meet with Japanese Government officials.
“We’ll meet again at a political level soon, but president Mori is absolutely certain Prime Minister Suga continues to have the support of his party in forging ahead with the Games,” Coates said.
The Torch Relay is due to begin in late March, with 10,000 runners to carry the Olympic flame on its journey around the country to arrive at the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo on July 23.
Former IOC vice-president Kevan Gosper has suggested any major decisions around the Games need to be made before then.
“I asked [president Mori] specifically about the start of the Torch Relay and whether that was a critical time for making decisions,” Coates said.
“He says it will still go to all 47 prefectures but they are all well advanced in simplification plans … possibly preventing the use of main roads to limit the gathering of large crowds.
“They will announce one month beforehand their final plans.
“They are adopting advanced facial recognition plans, they are co-ordinating their vaccine rollout and I asked if they could take into account the Olympic workforce numbering around 100,000 — to rank them highly for access to a vaccine because of their daily interaction with the athletes.”
IOC to use Tokyo ‘playbook’
All IOC members were briefed by Bach on Thursday, with another briefing scheduled for Friday evening (AEDT), with all national Olympic committee (NOC) presidents reaffirming the Games are proceeding.
The IOC will next month issue a “playbook” to everyone involved in the Games detailing all Covid-19 procedures and developments.
“There is a playbook the IOC will issue for all the NOCs, international (sporting) federations and athletes due out on February 5,” Coates said.
“It details all the COVID-19 countermeasures that have been put in place, it will be distributed at the chef de missions meeting and will be an essential reference document for anybody involved in the games detailing — and updating — all necessary info.”
Beyond that, Coates was reluctant to engage further, saying: “I don’t put my head up on these matters normally because they are for our Japanese partners to announce.”
On Thursday, Bach reaffirmed his commitment to holding the Tokyo Olympics this year, saying there was “no plan B” for the showpiece sporting event.
“We have, at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo,” Bach told the Kyodo news agency.
The Times report was also dismissed by Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who said on Friday in Parliament that Japan was determined to realise the Tokyo Olympics.
Mr Suga said he would work closely with Tokyo and the IOC in order to make sure the Games would take place.
That was echoed by Japan’s deputy chief cabinet secretary Manabu Sakai, who told reporters there was no truth to the rumours.
Sunday marks the six months to go countdown usually celebrated in Olympic host cities.
There has been no announcement for any celebrations in Tokyo this weekend.
AOC backs Games to go ahead
Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) chief executive Matt Carroll said he was confident the Tokyo Games would take place this year.
Carroll dismissed what he described as “unfounded rumours” the Games would be cancelled.
“The Tokyo Games are on,” he said.
“Tokyo 2020 will be a very different Games, simpler, but with a focus on the athletes and their competitions.
Carroll backed Japan to be able to handle the logistical challenge of hosting the Games despite the pandemic.
“If any country can handle a logistical challenge, it is Japan,” Carroll said.
Carroll said Games organisers were putting a variety of COVID-19 countermeasures in place, including having athletes arrive no more than five days before their competition and leaving within 48 hours.
All athletes will be tested prior to travelling to Japan and upon arrival before entering the athlete village.
He said the AOC was “well into planning the assembly of the team”, which he said was the largest since 2000, and making sure they arrived and were bought home safely.
Carroll said there was a “possibility” of athletes getting vaccinated before the Games, but that the athletes would have to wait in line, like everyone else.
“There’s a possibility of vaccinations before Japan, but the program is for those Australians who need it first,” Carroll said.
“We agreed it’s for the Australians who need the vaccination first and if we fall into line in the queue, the same as everyone else.”
‘Disappointing’ if Games cancelled: PM
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it would be “disappointing” for Japan if the Games could not take place, but that Mr Suga had to put health advice first.
“The situation in Japan, right now, in terms of the spread that’s occurred there more recently, is quite different to even when I was there in November,” Mr Morrison said.
“I can understand that that’s putting some real pressure [on Japan’s Prime Minister].
“I think it would be very disappointing for the Japanese people and, of course, for Prime Minister Suga and former prime minister Abe if that were the case.
“But if that were the case I can only feel for them, and their circumstances. I could only extend our thoughts to them at that time.”
ABC/Reuters
