ZCZC
BSP-06
HEALTH-VIRUS-OLY-2020
It’s 2021 or never for Tokyo, confirms senior Olympic official
BRUSSELS, June 6, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – High-ranking Olympic official
Pierre-Olivier Beckers on Saturday made plain that the delayed Tokyo
Olympics “will be held in 2021 or not at all”.
The Belgian was reiterating the stance put forward by Japan and
International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach that next year was
the last chance to hold the Games postponed due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
“Today everyone is sure that they will start on July 23, 2021,” he
told Belgian newspaper L’Avenir.
“We are convinced that the Games will take place in 2021 or they
won’t take place.
“It’s unthinkable to keep such a project on the go for any longer
considering the enormous costs and all the thousands of people
involved.”
Beckers suggested it was “essential” that the traditional sporting
calendar emerges from its COVID-19 lockdown before allowing major
sporting events like the Olympics to be staged.
“All the sporting federations have to adapt to the Games’ postponement.
“We can’t envisage a similar upheaval a second time,” stressed the
president of Belgium’s Olympic Committee.
According to Beckers a final decision on Tokyo “will be taken in
the spring if questions (over the global health crisis) persist.”
He said he was optimistic over the staging of the Games, rejecting
any notion that it would be held behind closed doors.
In March, Tokyo 2020 was postponed one year over the coronavirus,
which has killed hundreds of thousands around the world and halted
international sport and travel.
Beckers heads the IOC’s coordinating commission for the 2024 Games
and he said he wanted Paris “to be different” to past editions.
“We want to stage Games that are economically responsible,
inclusive, sustainable and useful for society.
“The IOC’s desire is that the Games adapt to the needs of cities,
countries, and vice versa. Paris will be the first edition that will
fully fit into this vision.”
“We must fight against gigantism,” he continued.
“In Paris, we will return to a budget lower than that of previous
editions: 3.8 billion euros for operations and around three billion
for all infrastructure.”
BSS/AFP/MRU/1833hrs