Senior International Olympic Committee member John Coates believes the Tokyo Olympics could be the “greatest ever” as the world emerges from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Games have been rescheduled and will take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021 with the Paralympic Games running from 24 August-5 September.
However, Coates thinks Tokyo could eclipse the 2000 Sydney Games, which he helped organise and were described by then IOC chief Juan Antonio Samaranch as “the best Olympic Games ever”.
He also pointed to the Olympics held directly after the two world wars of the 20th century.
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Coates addressed the annual general meeting of the Australian Olympic Committee which was held online, with news agency Reuters reporting:
“Because we all must wait longer than the already-long wait for an Olympics, the Games of Tokyo will gently but perceptibly echo the sheer joy and relief of the other delayed Olympics of Antwerp in 1920 and London in 1948.
“I believe the Tokyo Olympics may ultimately be amongst the greatest Games ever, if not the greatest. And putting the parochialism of a proud Sydney boy aside … I certainly hope Tokyo will be.”
Coates – who is also the Australian Olympic chief – also addressed the country’s bid to host the Olympics in 2032 with South Queensland and the city of Brisbane its focal point.
The bid has the official backing of the AOC and was now in “continuous dialogue” with the IOC’s Future Host Commission.
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He said:
“I have always believed in making necessity a virtue. There is already a need for jobs and growth in the Queensland economy arising from the impact of COVID-19.
“Our (government partners) recognise a potential 2032 … Games as a critical part of the state and nation’s economic recovery in the short term, quite apart from all of the long-term health, well-being, economic and sporting legacies.”