Tokyo 2020: IOC 'fully committed' to rescheduled Olympics taking place in 2021

The International Olympic Committee is "fully committed" to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and has "multiple scenarios" for them to take place safely.

They should have begun on 24 July but were postponed in March because of Covid-19 and are now due to be held from 23 July to 8 August next year.

IOC president Thomas Bach said there were "all different countermeasures" but hoped spectators would be allowed.

He said an Olympics behind closed doors "is clearly something we don't want."

Many sports at professional level have resumed without fans in attendance to avoid the sort of mass gatherings which can lead to increased transmission of the coronavirus.

"We are working for a solution which on the one hand is safeguarding the health of all the participants and on the other hand is also reflecting the Olympic spirit," Bach said.

Meanwhile, the Youth Olympics in Senegal scheduled for 2022, have been put back to 2026.

Bach explained that the fourth edition of the Youth Games was postponed as a result of the "financial consequences" of the current "global health crisis".

Asked about the main event in Tokyo, Bach said: "We remain fully committed to celebrating Tokyo 2020 next year in July and August."

Bach said that the IOC's coordination commission had reported "very good work in progress" and that more details would be given to a full IOC session which will take place by video conference on Friday.

Highlighting the importance of safety in the wake of the pandemic, the German added: "For this reason we are working on multiple scenarios, as we don't know the health situation one year from now."

Last month, Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto said that Tokyo would present a "simplified" Olympics, which would "not be done with grand splendour".

Article Source: BBC