Olympic Organisers Plan for Possible Delay
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SPORT MONDAY 23 MARCH 2020 Olympic organisers plan for possible delay REUTERS – TOKYO The IOC and its powerful from older athletes and require chief, Thomas Bach, say keeping sponsors on board for Tokyo 2020 organisers have the Games will go ahead as longer. Another headache is the started drafting possible alter- planned, drawing fire from Olympic village, due to be con- natives to holding the Olympics athletes who say that could verted to flats after the Games. this summer, two sources be a health risk. The summer 2021 calendar familiar with the talks said, in is already crowded while 2022 contrast to the Japanese govern- will see the soccer World Cup ment’s stance that post- and the Beijing Winter ponement is not an option. “Finally, we have Olympics. While the coronavirus out- been asked to make a Japanese sponsors are break has disrupted sports simulation in case of a nervous, company representa- events around the world, Japan tives have said privately. Major postponement,” one of the has been steadfast in saying that sponsors include Toyota Motor the Games will go on. The top sources, an official close to Corp and Panasonic Corp. government spokesman on the organising committee “Of course companies are Wednesday said Tokyo wasn’t who is involved in drafting individually discussing what to preparing for postponement. the scenarios, has said. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame is placed at Miyako do,” said a representative of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe railway station, Iwate prefecture, yesterday. one of the more than 60 has staked his legacy as Japan’s sponsors. longest-serving premier on the they were not authorised to scaling back the Games or A final decision on post- decision to postpone should be “No one wants to be the Games and is hoping for a boom speak to the media. holding them without spec- ponement will have to come made quickly. first to say anything about the in tourism and consumer “We are making alternative tators, would be debated by the from the IOC but Japan’s stance Bach recently appeared to possibility of a postponement.” spending. At risk is more than plans - plan B, C, D - looking at organising committee at the end also matters. shift his tone, saying the IOC Japan Airlines Co discussed that $3bn in domestic sponsorship, different postponement time- of March, the official said. The IOC and its powerful was “considering different there was an 80% chance the an Olympic record, and some frames,” said the official, adding The second source, who is chief, Thomas Bach, say the scenarios”. Olympics would not be held as $12bn spent on preparations. the scenarios included cost esti- also close to the Tokyo 2020 Games will go ahead as Japan’s Nikkei newspaper scheduled on a recent internal “Finally, we have been mates for different delays. organising committee, con- planned, drawing fire from ath- said in a report on its website conference call, a person asked to make a simulation in Neither Tokyo 2020 organ- firmed that postponement was letes who say that could be a yesterday that the IOC will hold briefed on the call said. case of a postponement,” said isers nor the International being discussed, including health risk. a board meeting this week, as In Tokyo, there is a sense one of the sources, an official Olympic Committee (IOC) delays of one or two years. Two other insiders, both calls from sporting organisa- delay may be inevitable. close to the organising com- immediately responded to a Some organising staff were senior members of the Tokyo tions for the event to be post- Finance Minister Taro Aso has mittee who is involved in request for comment. The gov- holding out hope for a delay of 2020 organising committee, poned gathered pace. compared Tokyo 2020 to the drafting the scenarios. ernment of Japan could not be a month or 45 days, said the echoed those concerns. One of The official involved in 1940 Olympics cancelled by Both sources spoke on con- reached for comment. official involved in drafting the them, a board member of the drafting scenarios said a long World War II, and the boycott dition of anonymity because The options, which include scenarios. organising committee, said the delay could spark complaints of the 1980 Moscow Games. Le Clos faces uncertain IOC wrestles with logistics WHO SAID WHAT training future amid amid mounting pressure Olympic doubts I understand that there REUTERS – ATHENS will be huge financial REUTERS – CAPE TOWN going to be closed. We had losses for the hosts and 36 hours to get out. The International Olympic the organisers, but I Olympic swimming gold “Luckily I got tickets the Committee (IOC) faced mounting think that the Olympics medallist Chad le Clos had same night. It’s such a opposition yesterday to the should be postponed by to leave his Turkish base in whirlwind. One minute current schedule for the Tokyo a year and held in 2021. a rush after his training you’re training hard, eve- 2020 Games as athletes, teams That's my opinion: Umar schedule for the Tokyo 2020 rything’s gone great, and and federations called for a Games was thrown into then you have to leave.” Le delay because of the coronavirus Kremlev, President of disarray, and has doubts Clos admits he has doubt as pandemic. the Russian Boxing over whether the event will to whether the Olympics IOC President Thomas Bach, Federation go ahead. will go ahead as scheduled, who has insisted the Games will Le Clos had set up in but believes athletes should go ahead as planned, said any Turkey after an earlier camp keep focused for now. decision to change an Olympic Japan has invested a in Italy had been cancelled “I urge everyone to Games was not a simple matter lot of resources into due to the coronavirus out- focus as if the Olympics is like rescheduling a soccer match the Olympics and they break, but is now at home going to happen. If it gets and would need careful planning are adamant that the in Cape Town and uncertain postponed all the hard work and information. of his immediate future you’ve done will continue to “The Olympic Games cannot A woman wearing a protective face mask, walks past the Olympic Games should go ahead, plans. whenever it’s held. be moved like a football game rings in front of the Japan Olympics Museum in Tokyo, in this March but that defies common “There’s no real plan “Don’t take your foot off next Saturday,” he told Ger- 13 file photo. sense and we cannot going forward. I have no the accelerator, don’t make many’s SWR broadcaster. come first,” Serbian Olympic support it because coach, no training partners. the mistake of thinking it “It is a complex undertaking Committee president Vanja Udo- human lives come I could be stuck here until might not happen, because and you can only act responsibly vicic said. first: Vanja Udovicic, the Olympics,” he told South if it takes just one percent off when you have a clear decision- His Croatian counterpart, President of the Serbian Africa’s Sunday Times you, you lose out big time.” making foundation.” He also The Olympic Games Zlatko Matesa, said it was Olympic Committee newspaper. Le Clos is South Africa’s ruled out cancelling the July cannot be moved like “impossible” to proceed with the “If they shut the gyms most decorated Olympian 24-Aug. 9 Games. Olympics under the current here, I don’t have a plan B with a gold in the 200 “A cancellation of the Games a football game next circumstances. (for a pool). It’s scary. I’ve metres butterfly in 2012 that would be the least fair solution. Saturday: IOC President “No one wants the Games Coronavirus has already spoken to some guys lit- shot him to fame, as well as A cancellation would destroy the Thomas Bach postponed but I think we are been controlled in erally stuck in their homes. three silver medals. Olympic dream of 11,000 ath- close to such a scenario as it China, where it was They can’t do training. letes of 206 Olympic com- seems to be the only option. massive, and we are “I was told Penny Ole- mittees.”mittees.” Sources told Reuters As the virus triggers more Sports has come to a halt in all ksiak, the Canadian Olympic yesterday,yesterday however, that Tokyo restrictions and claims more of Europe and no one knows confident things will champion, hasn’t swum in GamesGames organisersor had started victims around the globe, when it will resume,” Matesa come under control 20 days in Toronto.” Le Clos draftingdrafting possiblep alternatives to pressure at least to delay the said. in the next two months: said it had been a turbulent holdingholding the Olympics this event is increasing. “Sports is not an issue now Indian Olympic week, which included a mad summer.summer. Serbia and Croatia joined the as competing has become Association dash out of Turkey. “Finally,“Final we have been asked of Olympic committees and impossible. I believe it is impos- Secretary-General “On Monday the plan to makemake a simulation in case of sports bodies opposing the IOC’s sible for the Games to go ahead Rajeev Mehta was to stay six, seven weeks a postponement,”postpon a source close plans to proceed, while German as scheduled and in my opinion (in Turkey). Suddenly, the to the organisingorga committee who former world champion fencer they should and will be post- country is going into isis involvedinvolve in drafting the sce- Max Hartung, who has already poned for a few months.