Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori says the organising committee have agreed with the International Olympic Committee to hold a “simplified” Games with 200 items including the opening ceremony and torch relay under review.
The Olympics were pushed back a year in March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and there has been speculation over what form they will take or even whether the Games will go ahead as scheduled in July 2021 should a vaccine not be found.
Mori and Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto announced the agreement with the IOC in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved from the coronavirus and reduce the financial impact of the one-year delay with the former the top priority but also “the biggest challenge”.
Speaking at a press conference following an online meeting of the IOC executive board, they outlined three key principles for the postponed Olympics which are to provide a safe and secure environment, minimise costs and simplify the Games for the sake of safety and sustainability.
Muto said they would also consider reducing the numbers involved in the Games – aside from the athletes and spectators – with IOC officials and representatives from national governing bodies likely to be among those cut.
Mori said last month that the Games would be “scrapped” entirely rather than be again postponed but on Wednesday he insisted he had “never discussed cancellation” with the IOC.
Now Tokyo 2020 will review the 200 items with the IOC’s Co-ordination Commission set to make their final proposal at the IOC executive board meeting in September following discussions with international sports federations.
The agreement with the IOC comes a week after Mori reached a similar accord with Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike.
The IOC is set to streamline the Games, including venues and transportation. It has told the sports federations it will confirm the venues and the competition schedule by this summer.
Japanese government sources last week said a reduction in the number of spectators and scaling back of the opening and closing ceremonies were among the steps being considered.
don’t spend a lot of money Stupid. if it is not the Olympics who will watch. Better do it the right way