Tokyo Olympics will take a monumental effort from the country to go ahead in 2021 as doubts continue to rise about the tournament. Member of International Olympics Council Dick Pound was not sure about event going ahead later this year. The Japanese people have also shared the opinion with Dick Pound.
According to a survey from Kyodo News, 80.1 percent of Japan’s public wants 2021 Olympics Games to be postponed or cancelled as the worries mount about a record surge in coronavirus cases across the country.
The survey said 35.3 percent of the Japanese public wants the Games to be cancelled, while 44.8 percent want tournament to be postponed. The Tokyo Olympics is already a year late due to the coronavirus pandemic. At this time, the mega-event is scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo.
Last week, the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency for the greater Tokyo region due to sudden surge in the Covid-19 cases. Japanese government will reportedly follow similar strict protocols to other areas of Japan.
The nation has controlled the virus relatively well, but the danger of potentially bringing 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes to Japan could worsen the situation. Apart from various sportspersons, this mega event would also have thousands of coaches, judges, officials, sponsors, media, and broadcasters.
To control the spread of virus, IOC is set to follow strict guidelines. Athletes will have to arrive in the city at least five days before their events and will leave within 48 hours of the event. The cost of organizing the event has increased significantly, so the governing body and Japanese government will be hesitant about delaying the event.