tokyo 2020 olympics

Japan's crowdless sports: A prelude to a coronavirus-hit Olympics?

16 Comments
By Antoni Slodkowski

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16 Comments
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My prediction is that as long as the IOC can ensure they will get A) TV ad revenues and B) first-class wining and dining, the games will not be cancelled. They'll get what they came for, and nothing else will really matter.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Baseball's popularity has been on a decline lately. Just a prelude...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Postponing then rescheduling will be difficult.

TV stations have their program schedules planned for years.

Either way IOC or TV compaines will lose lots money.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@JJ Jetplane

Thanks for your information. Learn something today.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No spectators is better than canceling and let's Japan save face.

Athletes will still be seeing other people whether on the streets, hotel or airport. Why even come at all?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Postpone the games and make it Tokyo 2022. Having the Summer Olympics in 2022 (in Tokyo) as well as again 2 years later in 2024 (in France) wouldn't be such a bad thing. Brings to mind the 1992 Winter Olympics in France which were followed again 2 years later in 1994 (Norway) when the decision was made to separate them to allow an Olympics to take place every 2 years.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@yoshisan88

Guess when was the first time? It is in 1940 an the host city was Tokyo.

Incorrect. The olympics has been canceled 3 times with the first happening in 1916.

The 1916 Berlin games

The 1940 Tokyo games

1944 London games.

All were canceled because of wars.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

 Tokyo 2020 is off.

If this happens, then it would be the second time an Olympic is cancelled. Guess when was the first time? It is in 1940 an the host city was Tokyo.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The virus is spreading all over Japan and as people continue to get on overcrowded trains and buses there will be a marked increase in cases in the next couple of weeks

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The Olympics games cannot be held behind close doors like the Sumo tournament or the pre season baseball games, so it is inevitable that it will be cancelled. So sad all the preparations and the investments made will come to zero but public safety first. This is a pandemic, a global public health emergency requiring collective action. Tokyo 2020 is off.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Yakkyuu without the crowds? Even watching grass grow would be more exciting.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Tokyo 2021.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I'm curious if refunds will be offered for the millions of pre-sold tickets. They didn't offer refunds to those who paid the entry fee for the Tokyo marathon.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

"If the Olympics look like this, it's going to be a sad sight," said 68-year-old shoemaker Hiroshi Enomoto, one of the fistful of spectators cheering on the runners in the downtown area of Asakusa.

Don't worry about seeing that sad sight. At current rate of expansion around the world, even if Japan manages to keep the country under 300 reported confirmed cases, the rest of world will not so is Japan going to let the world into the Olympics? The Olympics will be cancelled unless there's no point in stopping everyone from getting the Coronavirus.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

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