Olympics will be cancelled if COVID-19 not over: Yoshiro Mori

OSAKA: Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori has expressed a concern that the delayed Olympics will have to be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic is not contained by next year.

The pandemic has already forced a year-long delay of the Games, which are now scheduled to open on 23rd July 2021.

When asked in an interview, whether the Games could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year, Yoshiro Mori replied “No,” he continued, “In that case, it’s cancelled.”

Mori said that the Games had been cancelled previously only during wartime and compared the battle against coronavirus to fighting an invisible enemy, he added.

He also assured, “If the virus is successfully contained, we will hold the Olympics in peace next summer.”

Major sporting events have been cancelled or postponed. The most significant one that was due to take place in Japan this summer was FIFA. The Asian Football Confederation has also agreed to postpone the Asian World Cup qualifying matches in March and June.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) top-tier football league in the US has extended the postponement of matches in the country until at least June 8 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Euro 2020 tournament has been postponed until 2021.