Tokyo Games chief executive has said he cannot guarantee if the Olympics, which have been postponed by a year in the wake of COVID-10 pandemic, will be held in 2021.
The Olympics were originally scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9 this year. However, the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic led to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) eventually announcing that the Tokyo Games will now be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021.
Tokyo organising committee CEO Toshiro Muto, speaking through an interpreter at a news conference conducted remotely on Friday said, it's impossible to predict where the world will be with the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2021, when the Games were rescheduled to begin.
"I don't think anyone would be able to say if it is going to be possible to get it under control by next July or not," Muto said. "We're certainly are not in a position to give you a clear answer."
"We have made the decision to postpone the games by one year. So this means that all we can do is work hard to prepare for the games."
"We sincerely hope that come next year mankind will manage to overcome the coronavirus crisis," he added.
When asked about alternate plans in case the rescheduled games cannot be held, he said: "Rather than think about alternatives plans ... Mankind should bring together all of its technology and wisdom to work hard so they can development treatments, medicines and vaccines."
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has already issued an emergency declaration to battle the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed thousands of lives across the world.
