By spring 2021, a decision will be made as to whether the Olympic Games in Tokyo will be held. That was the information revealed by Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, the head of the Belgian Olympic Committee and a high-ranking member within the International Olympic Committee. Beckers’Vieujant told the newspaper, L’Avenir, that if the Covid-19 pandemic is still an issue in the spring of next year, a decision concerning the Games’ fate will be made at that time.
The Belgian, however, noted that he was confident the Tokyo Games, which were postponed in March and delayed by a year, would be held in 2021. He also indicated that if the Olympics could not be held during its rescheduled time, then the Games would be canceled. The notion of postponing the Olympic Games a second time was earlier rebuffed by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach of Germany.
“We are convinced that the Games will take place in 2021 or they won’t take place,” Beckers-Vieujant said. “All the sporting federations have to adapt to the Games’ postponement. We can’t envisage a similar upheaval a second time.”
Much of what Beckers-Vieujant said echoed words that came out of Japan in recent weeks. Another issue pertaining to the Games is whether a vaccine will be available ahead of the arrival of athletes, officials, coaches, media and fans in Tokyo. If a vaccine is not developed by that time, some officials have balked at moving forward.
The Tokyo Games, which will still be referred to as Tokyo 2020, are scheduled to open on July 23.