Japan backs off on forecast of 30 gold medals at Tokyo Olympics

"No matter how much precaution you take, people who are infected would come in and it is unavoidable,"

Of course it is avoidable:

1. Cancel the Olympics.

2. For residents, business travelers and tourists implement a strict rule to enter the country.

We don't even want this Olympics anymore take them, idiots.

Looking forward to the Olympics! COVID-19 low in Japan again, and the ongoing vaccination program will ensure this is a safe Olympics. Can't wait!

Well then, when you put it like this:…

“Estimates suggest canceling could cost the IOC $3 -$4 billion in broadcast rights income.” -

*… of course! *Cancel “Their” Games!

Countries generally get a medal bounce from being the host nation.

Among the main reasons for host nation athletes doing better than usual would be the overwhelming cheers from the domestic fans, as well as pride to perform in front of a supportive home crowd....

We don't even want this Olympics anymore take them, idiots.

So much for that pride, and with silent spectators (if any), so much for cheers.

No one cares if japan gets 30 medals or 300.

One gold medal per each % of the japanese population that was against holding the event this year, and we’re good.

And all along here I thought he was going to state that Japan was going to win ALL the gold medals, seeing as it would be the only country participating!

They were shot calling 30 gold medals when their all time high was 16?

In what sports? Embezzlement, lies and ignorance?

Talk about arrogance.

Makes you want to root for them to lose the bronze medal game, every time.

”We are no longer predicting 30 gold medals. We have revised our goals as follows. We will be satisfied if 1) these games do not result in a spike in infections, 2) these games do not become known as the most pointless festival of greed and corruption in their history, and 3) these games do not end up dragging Japan’s reputation through the mud”.

Doesn't matter as long the athletes had given it their all. Is their dream and they had work very hard for this moemnt. I pray for their success. I might not be that interested in the games, but i still wish them good luck.

In regard to whether it's important to achieve 30 (gold) medals, I would have to answer clearly 'no,'

Well sport, for once, seems like you are in tune with the vast majority of people in this country.

While people are dying and getting sick all you can talk about are the number of medals? "...it is unavoidable." This seems to be the fatalistic mentality of all these morons. Please count your medals and celebrate while the hospital staff work endless hours trying to control your wonderful peace enhancing event.

Yes.. plz back off on gold medal number..plz target less than 30 Corona positive athletes.

Hahaha. I don't think it's ever "important" how many medals a govt. thinks their athletes will win.

Watching these smug besuited executives set medal "targets" for the country, as if the athletes will have somehow failed if their total isn't high enough, is disgusting. If they put forth their best effort, I'm happy.

The Japanese Olympic Committee said 30 gold medals was the target just a few months before the pandemic hit. The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee now says that is no longer the goal.

"In regard to whether it's important to achieve 30 (gold) medals, I would have to answer clearly 'no,'" Yasuhiro Yamashita said at a news conference on Monday.

You gotta love those predictions based on meetings, looking into things and stuff. It is very popular here to set a goal and then operate with it. So what if it's just a goal. By having it as a goal, it's taken at face value here. Of course, if there was no virus situation, if the goal was not achieved, there would be a lot of discussion and questioning of why that (unrealistic) goal was not achieved.

"Strict border control at airports is very important," he added.

Last line of defence in this case.

It's a clever marketing attempt I suppose, by trying to change the focus of Olympic news they can stop talking about whether or not they will be cancelled. They are just assuming they are happening now and hope the media will pick up stories like this instead, sweep the rest under the rug.

They probably will happen, but I don't think they should get a free pass on that. The media SHOULD continue to rake them over the coals, not promote fluff pieces about how many medals a country is going to get.

"In regard to whether it's important to achieve 30 (gold) medals, I would have to answer clearly 'no,'" Yasuhiro Yamashita said at a news conference on Monday.

If it's suddenly "not important" to achieve 30 gold medals now...why was it SO important to make the over-ambitious boast before?! Does this boost the athlete's confidence, or is it just more blatant examples of how everyone involved in these Virus Games have absolutely no clue, let alone competence?

With 16 Golds being the highest ever scored by Japan at a normal games, these clowns suddenly pick an outrageous number, almost double the previous record haul, out of thin air and make that the "new normal" without any backing support. I'm noticing a trend here...

Build enough unneeded white elephant facilities for enough minor sports no-one cares about and you can have more medals than Idi Amin.

Makes sense. They know that the Japanese athletes are going to get basically win most of the events they take since there is a huge advantage, with no foreign spectators allowed, foreign athletes confined to basically in a prison-like environment, etc, etc. After Japanese win most of the medals the world and the JOC will see how absurd these games were. See you in Tokyo! NOT

With all the restrictions being placed on foreign athletes (which the Japanese athletes won't have to go through), Japan could very well win 30 medals or more. Tire and stress out all the foreigners in the name of covid. Japan isn't go to get another chance with this big advantage. And no foreign supporters in the crowd is another bonus for them.

"He said the focus is now off the number of medals."

Yeah, right. Japan has made it one of their biggest deals and media circuses to predict an obscene and undeserved number of gold medals, so much so that when one of their gold medalists doesn't actually get gold, or even medal, they verbally abuse him or her very badly. You saw this when Asada Mao lost the gold medal match to Kim Yu-Na -- with Mori chiding her and saying she lost for the nation, etc., instead of celebrating how she did. And much more often than not -- in fat, there is only ONE exception -- you have JOC members like the clown above having to come on and apologize and explain why South Korea got so many more medals than Japan and why it didn't even get half the golds it felt it was entitled to before the Games began. We've already heard some gaffe prone fools in the ranks saying the hot weather might work in Japan's favor and get them more medals (cause it can't be talent, you know!), and I have no doubt some are hoping that athletes like Williams and Nadal staying away will increase the chances of home grown (or adopted) talent bringing the gold for Japan.

"I think it is a common understanding (at the Japanese Olympic Committee) that we want to have each athlete be able to do their best and do their utmost,"

Hahaha... right.

With the likelihood that the supposed daily testing of the foreign athletes will almost certainly find some infections that will result in individuals, or even whole teams, being suspended, this will increase the chance of Japan winning medals. Japanese athletes being Japanese surely cannot get tested as they would have to see a doctor first, show symptoms for days, not worn masks for long periods whilst in contact with infected person etc.

Pity they just won’t back off holding these silly unwanted Games.

I’ve always hated these “we predict xxx Gold medals at the forthcoming Olympics” schtick.

These sorts of claims always seem to be evidence of nationalistic element of the Games, sport as a substitute for war.

The pressure to hold the games during the pandemic is largely financial for the Switzerland-based International Olympic Committee

There is more truth in this one sentence than any other Olympics reporting thus far.

Japan is going to get all the medals when no other competition shows up.

Here it is! This is what it's all about! The gold medals! Like I said here a long time ago, what Japan wants is to get ALL the gold medals! Can't get more pathetic than this!

Gold medals over human life... the ultimate materialistic worldview

The one for successfully fighting the corona virus surely goes to another country. But the one for importing the most number of viruses and variants at only one airport is also a ‘nice’ trophy, that surely holds a while in all our memories.

I wonder if they are going to allow the athletes to go maskles on the podiums? Who wants to see that anyways. I'm not an anti-masker, but I think we want to see the faces of the athletes and not just a pair of eyes for once.

Yamashita has been desperately to ambiguate death of one executive of JOC.

His behaviour that concluded about death of executive soon quicker than police was very unnatural.

I'm sure they can do it. They just need to ban all foreign athletes coming to Japan under the guise of COVID prevention and BOOM! they win everything by default.

No one cares if japan gets 30 medals or 300.

I’m sure the Japanese athletes & fans will disagree

Makes you want to root for them to lose the bronze medal game, every time.

you’re a great example of sportsmanship to all young athletes

its very annoying to be "informed" daily abt hese insane so called olympics...really annoying.

not as annoying as people whining about it every day for the past year

1. Cancel the Olympics."

ain’t gonna happen, so get over it

This article does not contain any important statements.

Yamashita said, "I was the person in charge when we decided (on this goal), the head of the Athlete Enhancement Division. "

This is a very important statement.

His job at the time was to make these goals a reality. There was nothing wrong with that.

The number of infected people in Japan remains extremely low compared to Europe and the United States, and the number of vaccinations has been steadily increasing. At least, the actual situation is not pessimistic.

He said the focus is now off the number of medals.

Maybe just get through this without any breakouts. Then Japan can say,

we kept our promise.

Dear rest of the world; Please dominate the Olympics.

I was astounded that the JOC even contemplated a number for the amount of gold metals that would be won for Japan. Do these bureaucrats have any idea of what the Olympics stand for? Obviously not. There will be some seats opening up on the IOC soon, so maybe they can apply there.