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A Japanese expert, who criticized the country’s response to the coronavirus, warned on Monday that it is “pessimistic” that the postponed Olympics may be held even in 2021.
“To be honest, I don’t think the Olympics will take place next year,” said Kentaro Iwata, professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University.
Japan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed last month to delay the Tokyo 2020 Games until July 2021 after pressure from athletes and sports federations.
But in recent days, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world, there have been questions about whether even a one-year delay will suffice.
Iwata said at a press conference that the virus would have to be under control at home and abroad for the Games to take place “because you have to invite athletes and the public from around the world.”
“Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don’t think that will happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I am very pessimistic about hosting the Olympics next summer” .
Iwata said he could only watch the Games to be held next year if they are significantly altered, “such as lack of audience or very limited participation.”
Iwata made the headlines earlier this year for his public criticism of Japan’s handling of the coronavirus-destroyed Diamond Princess cruise ship, which docked off the country’s coast.
Japanese officials chose to carry out a quarantine on board, but more than 700 people on board ended up contracting the virus and 13 died.
The decision to postpone the Olympics is unprecedented in peacetime, and followed a wave of complaints from athletes facing travel bans and blockades.
Postponement is a huge task, but organizers have insisted that they are working toward the new opening date despite continued uncertainty about when the pandemic will end.
– ‘Speculative questions’ –
When asked about possible delays to 2021, organizers said their “mission is to set the stage for next summer.”
“We do not believe that it is appropriate to answer speculative questions,” they told AFP.
“With regard to countermeasures against COVID-19, Tokyo 2020 and the IOC have a framework for information exchange and are cooperating closely with the World Health Organization.”
“We will continue to work closely with relevant organizations and review all necessary countermeasures.”
Last week, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya told reporters in an online briefing that “there is no Plan B” for the Games to be postponed again.
But Iwata is not the only expert to have asked questions about 2021, and Devi Sridhar, president of global health at the University of Edinburgh, warned last week that it was “very unrealistic” to think that the Games could be held next year unless get a vaccine. It is found.
“If we get a vaccine within the next year, I think (the Olympics) are realistic.”
Vaccine will change the game: an effective, affordable and available vaccine, “Sridhar told the BBC.
“If we don’t get a scientific breakthrough, I think that seems unrealistic.”
The decision to delay the Games was painful for the organizers and the IOC, which was criticized for the lengthy decision to postpone.
“If we don’t get a scientific breakthrough, I think that seems unrealistic.”
The decision to delay the Games was painful for the organizers and the IOC, which was criticized for the lengthy decision to postpone.
Initially, both officials in Japan and at the IOC insisted that the Games could go ahead as planned, even when blockades across the world meant that athletes were barred from training venues and forced to stay home.
The virus had already wreaked havoc on preparations, forcing qualifier cancellations and tampering with test events.
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