That Thursday in the top news was the statement of the Governor of the capital. Yuriko Koike reported that Japan is considering the possibility of “simplified” of the Olympics.
– We need to move forward, something rationalizing, something making it easier, she said, not really going into details, the TV channel NHK. – The government and the organizing Committee will think through how to do it.
Another speaker, General Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan Acehide Suga, also without specifics, noting only that Japan wants to prepare for the Games in close collaboration with the IOC and the organising Committee, with the administration in Tokyo. This is necessary in order to ensure that the Olympics was the most calm and safe event for athletes and spectators.
What did the officials mean by “rationalization” and “optimization” of the format, it is not entirely clear. Are there any changes in the program of competitions? Or will it just be a reduction in the number of participants in the ceremonies of opening and closing of the Olympic games and the number of spectators in the stands? Earlier, Japanese media also wrote about compulsory tests for coronavirus for athletes, team members and – more than that – for all the fans, as well as about restrictions on the movement of athletes outside of the Olympic village.
it is difficult to predict to what decision will come all the stakeholders. In fact it was already the Chairman of the organizing Committee of the “Tokyo 2020” Yoshiro Mori, who said that the Games will be cancelled if a pandemic coronavirus will not be brought under control by next year. And on Wednesday, a loud statement was made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “We are going to host the Olympics and Paralympics in full as evidence of the victory of humanity over COVID-19, said Abe at the Global summit on the development of vaccines against coronavirus.
