Thorough discussions have started regarding when to hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics that were postponed due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection. While the organizing committee and the Japanese government are in favor of holding the event next summer, a plan to hold the Games between May and June is also being floated as an option.
Furthermore, some sports governing bodies have reportedly expressed their desire to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold the Games during the spring or autumn. The IOC plans to set a new date within the next three weeks.
During their talks on the phone on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and IOC President Thomas Bach agreed to hold the Games by the summer of 2021 at the latest.
Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo organizing committee, reiterated on a TV program on Saturday that the Games will be held during the summer, adding: "Summer can be between June and September. It is not good to hastily fix the date."
According to several people connected to the event, holding the Games in May or June has the advantage of avoiding the intense summer heat. Holding the Games two months earlier would also have cost-related benefits as it would cut the costs of paying for operating staff and venue rental fees. Currently, the amount related to the postponement is estimated to be several hundred billion yen.
On the other hand, there are also concerns regarding whether the spread of the coronavirus will be contained by the time the Games commence if they were to start before the summer. The torch relay would also have to start in the middle of winter.
"There is the fear that the torch relay will be suspended again, and if that happens, it will be impossible to postpone it a second time," an official related to the Games said.
The IOC held phone and video conferences on Thursday and Friday with its members, senior members of each international sports federation (IF) and representatives of the national Olympic committees.
According to those who attended the meetings, the IF for table tennis and badminton called for the event to be held in spring to avoid the heat. Meanwhile, the IF for surfing and sailing, which competes in the ocean, called for avoiding late summer typhoon season. Other IFs said they hoped the Games would be held in autumn because it does not look like the coronavirus will be contained any time soon.
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