IOC stands firm on Tokyo Games despite coronavirus concerns

Tokyo-Sapporo 2021. The Recovery Olympics, United by Emotion.

And the advice currently is...avoid large crowds.

So, which is it?

I’m confused!

In the end it is all about the money.

Don't know if posted elsewhere, but Tokyo organisers now saying that the contract with the IOC states should be held sometime in 2020, so as long as held during this year , all is good and can meet contractual obligations. They worried now (as the should be) and could postpone until sometime near the end of the year. Cool! (Literally).

'Japan's government and Tokyo were still committed to the Games' because it's all about the money money money. They're not concerned about the health and safety of people in Japan, and don't believe that they will be affected personally by the virus.

Kurisupisu wrote:

And the advice currently is...avoid large crowds.

So, which is it?

I’m confused!

The “advice” is not mentioned in the article.

Wobot wrote:

The US is considering a travel ban. If the situation gets worse and other countries follow suit the games will effectively be cancelled whether Japan and the IOC like it or not.

Thank you for posting what almost all of us, including the IOC president, already know.

In the end it is all about the money.

Of course. Do you know how much money is at stake here? If had another Fukushima event and thousands would die, I have no doubt they still would hold the Olympics. This is another reason why a lot of people don’t watch it anymore, it’s becoming the Academy Award of the sports world.

The US is considering a travel ban. If the situation gets worse and other countries follow suit the games will effectively be cancelled whether Japan and the IOC like it or not

As things stand, even without a travel ban, would the athletes, coaches, etc. get travel insurance that covers them for any rescheduled flights etc. due to quarantines or other coronavirus-related measures?

we're committed to money... the people, and want money... everyone to stand firm and prepare for the games so that the money... event continues

BBC are reporting

Coronavirus: Tokyo 2020 could be postponed to end of year - Japan's Olympic minister

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/51717839

I agree that the Olympics should be postponed. July-August will just be too hot. October-November will be fine. It is not that cold anymore anyway.

You can force the games but you can't force the athletes who might not turn up.

It seems to me 2020 Olympics would be cancelled whatever, even if Japan became under control. Coronavirus now spread all over the world, there is no point if athletes don't come for Olympics. 2020 is just a bad luck for Japan. Postponement to 2021 would be wonderful if possible.

IOC revenue depends 60% from broadcastings. They will hold Tokyo Olympics 2020 without visitors but broadcasting the games.

All these people at that table are likely wearing adult diapers as they are getting worried!! But likely for the WRONG reasons sadly as a cancellation would of course be bad BUT could have more repercussions on future of the Olympics as well

As for postponing the games.....sounds good in theory but IF they did I suspect the number of athletes & countries that participate would drop substantially due to scheduling issues etc mentioned in the blurb & BIG TV wont be so big so the losses on such a re-scheduling would be considerable EVEN for Japan which is king for racking up debt!

Still early to tell. Give it another 2 weeks for a decision.

Bach appears to be getting the blow torch on Japan. Get your virus act together prompto, no second chance.

Deaths has stood still, new infection relatively small in numbers. Looks like it Japan's Olympic organising committee might get fair winds yet.

Well Fighto!, I think you said it perfectly. That is of course assuming that emotion does overtake reason, and they actually do postpone the Olympics like that.

and I said this a few times already, and I’ll say it again. We are still several months out from the Olympics, so it’s much too early to be saying for sure that the Olympics will be canceled. Don’t believe the hype.

In fact, one of the temp hospitals in Wuhan, which is remember the epicenter of this virus, just closed down because they cured all the patients that had the virus. And in Vietnam, they cured everybody there, as well as one other country. This was as of a few days ago, so there may be more. So with that said, don’t be like Chicken Little, and say that the sky is falling!

...allow the IOC to withdraw the Games from Tokyo would be if "the Games are not celebrated during the year 2020".

Perhaps focus of the caveat shouldn't be the "during the year 2020" part, but instead the "not celebrated" part...

And in Vietnam, they cured everybody there, as well as one other country. 

Interesting. Japan should eye recruiting the Vietnamese Health Dept. officials, and their senior Doctors as "advisors" to direct virus control in the next few months. Whatever their methods are to eradicate/cure this virus may just work on a big scale in Japan.

Everything is worth a try right now.

In fact, one of the temp hospitals in Wuhan, which is remember the epicenter of this virus, just closed down because they cured all the patients that had the virus. And in Vietnam, they cured everybody there, as well as one other country

I think you're using the word 'cure' incorrectly, as the total number of people who have been cured of this virus worldwide stands at: 0.

Most people who get the virus do and will survive it however.

The problem here is that I wonder how accurate your post is, based on the fact that you made two claims of people being cured, which clearly are not true. So how accurate is the rest of what you said?

As firm as they can be until they say otherwise. By the way, NBC stated that they are well-insured in the event of the Olympics cancellation. Everyone involved are hoping for the best while preparing for the worst.

This is why they are making it so hard to be tested for the virus here.

No tests means less confirmed cases to report.

Means everything is fine in Japan.

Hence the games for forth...

After 12 years, good bye Japan. I am out.

Corruption and nodding heads rule in this country.

This is another reason why a lot of people don’t watch it anymore, it’s becoming the Academy Award of the sports world.

Ratings are down for Winter Olympics not Summer Olympics. Go check the stats!

propaganda hiding the gravity of the situation to make this useless Olympic games happen.

a lot of bribes are in the game!

They should just cancel it already and then stop trying to hide the real infection rate in Japan by refusing to test people. The Olympics is responsible for Abe denying the truth. The opposition parties are correct in this.

Going to be a disaster of epic proportions, and on more than just one level. On the plus side, the number of heatstroke victims will be lower since no one will want to come to complete, and Japan will achieve its medal prediction when no one else comes.

Time to make decision quick I think, by end of haruyasumi.

Go ahead or cancel. Three Olympics were cancelled in the past and due to WW and it is still going. World wide spread of this novel virus is war.

I think virus will be still around in August so if athlete is felling unwell due to fever, cough, and shortness of breath on the day, take the day off.

3 months should give good time to plan for end of July. For example corporate seats including international invites can be released and re sold to the public. For nations not possible to travel or participate and celebrate in Tokyo, hotel spaces can be cancelled. Empty air seats can be sold at discounted price to athlete family who always wanted to visit Japan.

TOCOG probably have better deal but if non refundable deposit has been paid to the hotels, may be rooms can be sold to international guests also domestic at reduced price.

Cancellation is unthinkable.

@LukeBeston

I never stated that the advice to avoid large crowds was part of the article.

What point are you trying to make?

It's astronomically easier to change TV show schedules (which is the main reason) and other sporting events than cure all those who will get sick, or run the games with no players or spectators.

the year the summer Olympics became Winter Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday gave further unequivocal backing to this summer's Tokyo Olympics, urging athletes to prepare "full steam" despite the coronavirus threat.

Are these comity members stark raving bonkers? it might not be affecting then in Switzerland, but, have they no idea of the scale of this pandemic that's hit the whole world? in fact some of the athletes might not be around to turn up, how deluded and detached from society can you get? and what is wrong with postponing it until next year? I think in these circumstances that were in, and Japan is about to get into, the rules can go on the back burner, because there is more serious thing to take into account, like life sport machines, more doctors, and nurses, more beds for the dying and sick when c19 hits. Yes I do feel sorry for these athletes some have practiced and practiced hard day and night to be the best of the best, yes it is shame that hundreds or thousands of people have been working to bring us the Olympics, but it CAN wait.