Tokyo organizers can't guarantee Summer Olympics in 2021 - Los Angeles Times
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Tokyo organizers can’t guarantee Summer Olympics in 2021

By David Wharton
Staff WriterFollow
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The leader of Tokyo’s effort to stage the postponed Olympic Games acknowledged Friday that the coronavirus might ultimately preclude the event from being held next year.

Speaking with reporters in a teleconference, Tokyo 2020 Chief Executive Toshiro Muto blamed the pandemic’s unpredictability.

“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 was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. “We certainly are not in position to give a clear answer.â€

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The Games were originally scheduled to begin in late July but were pushed back to the summer of 2021 when the International Olympic Committee and organizers agreed it would be too dangerous to gather hundreds of thousands of athletes, officials and fans under the current circumstances this summer.

In Japan, a spike in reported COVID-19 cases recently prompted the government to declare a state of emergency for much of the country.

“So this means that all we can do is work hard to prepare for the Games,†Muto said. “We sincerely hope that come next year, mankind will manage to overcome the coronavirus crisis.â€

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The organizing committee leader declined to address any options beyond July 2021.

“Rather than think about alternatives plans,†he said, “we should put in all of our effort.â€

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - APRIL 05: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) LG Twins team players play their intra-team game to be broadcasted online for their fans at a empty Jamshil baseball stadium as South Koreans take measures to protect themselves against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) on April 05, 2020 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has called for expanded public participation in social distancing, as the country witnesses a wave of community spread and imported infections leading to a resurgence in new cases of COVID-19. According to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday, 81 new cases were reported. The total number of infections in the nation tallies at 10,237. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

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David Wharton

David Wharton has filled an array of roles – covering the courts, entertainment, sports and the second Persian Gulf War – since starting as a Los Angeles Times intern in 1982. His work has been honored by organizations such as the Society for Features Journalism and Associated Press Sports Editors and has been anthologized in “Best American Sports Writing.†He has also been nominated for an Emmy and has written two books, including “Conquest,†an inside look at USC football during the Pete Carroll era.

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