Tokyo Olympics ‘unlikely’ to go ahead this summer due to coronavirus pandemic, predicts man behind London 2012 Games
LONDON 2012 Olympics chief Sir Keith Mills has predicted the delayed Tokyo Games are ‘unlikely’ to go ahead. Sir Keith, who was deputy chairman of the London organising committee, believes the ongoing Covid crisis is still too widespread for the Japanese authorities to give the green light. Tokyo bosses remain insistent that the Games will […]
LONDON 2012 Olympics chief Sir Keith Mills has predicted the delayed Tokyo Games are ‘unlikely’ to go ahead.
Sir Keith, who was deputy chairman of the London organising committee, believes the ongoing Covid crisis is still too widespread for the Japanese authorities to give the green light.
Tokyo bosses remain insistent that the Games will start in July.
But Sir Keith told the BBC: “Looking at the pandemic around the world, in South America, North America, Africa and across Europe, it looks unlikely to me that the Games will take place.
“If I was sitting in the shoes of the organising committee in Tokyo, I would be making plans for a cancellation – and I’m sure they have those plans.
“They will leave it to absolutely the last minute in case the situation improves dramatically and the vaccine is rolled out faster than we all hope.
“It is a tough call. I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes.
“In a month or two, when they have the most up to date data, they will have to make a decision.”
Meanwhile, Team GB rowing hero Sir Matthew Pinsent has suggested the Games be pushed back until 2024.
Pinsent reckons the entire Olympic cycle should be reset, with Tokyo staging the event planned for Paris in three years’ time, and the Los Angeles Games put back from 2028 to 2032.
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Writing on Twitter, in response to a survey that found 80 per cent of the Japanese public do not want the Games to go ahead, Pinsent said: “Once again the International Olympic Committee needs courageous leadership.
“The idea of Olympic athletes/officials/delegations getting vaccine priority is antithetical.
“And the risks of an event with thousands of people flying round the world to gather unvaccinated is ludicrous.
“My own view is that the Summer Olympic queue should be asked to shift, with Tokyo given the option of delaying until 2024, Paris moved to ‘28 and LA 2032.
“The athletes lose an Olympics but that’s looking likelier by the day.”
Sir Matthew added: “I think we can say with a degree of confidence now that the world’s population are not going to be vaccinated by northern hemisphere summer 2022.
“A portion of the Tokyo contracts would have to be broken or rolled over but it would stay alive rather than asking them to cancel outright and the income for Paris is preserved, if delayed.”