The brand name–“READY STEADY TOKYO”–aims to express the excitement that continues to build as the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 edge closer. It derives from the “ready, steady, go!” used to start a race, with “STEADY” additionally signifying Tokyo 2020 is keeping to its charted course as it heads towards its goal of hosting incredible Games. The overall message of the brand name is “We are ready for Tokyo 2020. Let’s stay focused as we move forward to a successful Games.”
The design of the new logo, expressed using brush strokes that echo Japanese calligraphy, is inspired by the passion and powerful movements of dynamic athletes, exuding sweat, splashing water and kicking up earth as they perform.
“READY?STEADY TOKYO” will give organisers valuable experience of managing events in the Olympic and Paralympic venues. Other test events will allow the Japanese public to catch a glimpse of the world’s best athletes in those disciplines, including potential Olympic and Paralympic Games competitors, while discovering new sports and new heroes.
Overall, 56 test events will be held until May 2020 – some during scheduled domestic and international sporting events that happen to be taking place in Japan during the build-up to the Tokyo 2020 Games, and 22 others comprising dedicated Olympic and Paralympic test events organised by Tokyo 2020. The new brand name and logo will feature exclusively at the dedicated events.
For Tokyo 2020, the objective of the test events will be to provide its management and operations staff with hands-on experience of running events and allow them to collaborate with delivery partners to ensure the smooth operation of the Games. Test events are an important part of the wider operational readiness programme for the Games which includes comprehensive training and exercises for Tokyo 2020 and partners.
Tag: Tokyo 2020
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Tokyo 2020’s Test Events to be Branded “READY STEADY TOKYO”
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Event hosts look beyond the Olympics for “faster, stronger growth” at Host City Asia
Host City Asia kicked off with a series of VIP insights from the hosts of the next three Olympic Games: Tokyo, Beijing and Paris.
The number of cities attending Host City Asia has quadrupled since the launch event, with officials from major Chinese cities including Beijing, Zhangjiakou, Hangzhou, Anshan, Changzhou, Shanxi and Changchun. They were joined by many more hosts destinations from Japan, Australia and Oman to as far away as France, all sharing best practice.
The cities attending were also treated to finding out about how to host new urban events –like Nitro Circus, Red Bull Air Race and the FISE World Series – to esports and the immense AIPH World Horticultural Expo, which is attracting 16 million visitors to Beijing this year. Leading suppliers like Aggreko joined Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 and other major event organising committees to examine how they can make event hosting more efficient together.
Yunchao GAO, Deputy Secretary General, Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) said: “The Olympic legacy is rooted in the Olympic Movement and is not simply the wealth of the Olympic host cities, but also the achievements and wealth of the entire human civilisation. Let us join hands to set an example of the ‘Dual Olympics’ legacy, propel the Olympic Movement and the sustainable development of the Olympic spirit and create a better future for all!”
Xiaochun ZHAO, Director-General of Shanxi Provincial Sports Bureau said “By holding the Second National Youth Games, a socially significant event, we can unite people’s hearts, boost morale, promote spiritual civilization and improve the humanistic quality of the people. We can further promote the adjustment of industrial structure in the province.”
Zhenhua ZONG, Executive Deputy Director, Zhangjiakou City Economic Development Zone said: “The ice and snow industry is an ecological industry, a low-carbon industry and a sunrise industry. The Hebei Provincial Party Committee and the provincial government have made the development of ice and snow industry and sports the key priority the province.”
Hiromi KAWAMURA, PR Secretary at the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games said: “The Tokyo 2020 Games will deliver the most innovative Games and a positive revolution; not only in sport but also throughout various aspects of society; not only during the Games but also during the preparation and after the Games; not only in Tokyo but also across Japan and around the world.”
Yasunobu NISHIMURA, Deputy Director General of Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government said: “The legacy of the Games must be one that befits a mature society and is appropriate for a world-leading megalopolis that continues to grow sustainably. The Tokyo government will seize the opportunity of the 2020 Games to enhance urban functions from both tangible and intangible aspects, so that we grow into an even more attractive city.” -
Tokyo 2020 boxing qualifier relocates from Wuhan to Amman
The IOC Boxing Task Force (BTF) has selected the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) to host the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier in Amman, Jordan, from 3-11 March 2020.
The event was due to place in Wuhan on those dates but was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement, the JOC said it “promises to provide a warm welcome and unforgettable experience for all athletes travelling to Amman for the all-important Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier. As the leading organisation for sport in the Kingdom, hosting this major international sporting event underlines the JOC’s commitment to delivering world-class events and empowering all Jordanians to participate in sport.”
Jordan Olympic Committee President HRH Prince Feisal said: “It is an honour for Jordan, the Jordan Olympic Committee and the city of Amman to have been selected to host the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier. We are very proud that the BTF has recognised Amman as a city capable of hosting an international event of this magnitude at short notice and we look forward to repaying their trust by delivering a successful event.
“Jordan has a proven track record for hosting world-class international sporting events and this is another ideal opportunity to introduce more sport to tens of thousands of young Jordanians throughout the Kingdom.”
In recent years, Jordan has hosted the IWWF Jordan Ayla Cable Wakeboard World Cup 2018, the 14th Arab Junior Volleyball Championships in 2017 and the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which saw more than 100,000 fans and 32 teams travel to Amman.
The BTF was created by the IOC Executive Board (EB) in June 2019. This followed a decision by the IOC Session to keep boxing on the sports programme for Tokyo 2020, but to suspend IOC recognition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) due to concerns over finance, governance, ethics and refereeing and judging.
The IOC EB gave the Boxing Task Force the mandate to organise and deliver the five qualification events for boxing and the Olympic boxing competition in Tokyo, and to develop a Tokyo 2020 qualification system for boxing.
The Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier will take place at the Prince Hamza Arena, Al-Hussein Youth City, Amman, Jordan. -
Paris 2024 and IPC confident Tokyo 2020 won’t be hit by coronavirus
The role of sports in dealing with climate change may have been the most prominent on-stage theme at Global Sports Week Paris – largely thanks to the challenging presence of “Young Sports Makers” – but it was another threat to humanity that dominated conversations amongst participants. One insider told Host City that the novel coronavirus, which is currently forcing the cancellation of several major events in China including Olympic qualifiers, could even lead to the cancellation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
But Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, is confident that the show will go in Tokyo.
“We are following this closely at the moment,” he said. “We don’t have an impact on what’s happening in Asia with the coronavirus, but we will learn from how Tokyo 2020 put in place good measures and actions to protect the security of athletes and spectators.
“Tokyo 2020 have declared that they are very involved in this topic. It’s good that, with the Japanese culture, when they decide to do something they will always deliver very carefully and effectively. We can all be very confident that Tokyo 2020 won’t be affected by this.”
This view was echoed by Andrew Parsons, president of the International Olympic Committee. “We are concerned but trust that the health authorities on a national and global level are able to control it,” he said.
While epidemics could become more prevalent in the future, the organisers of Paris 2024 are confident that they would be well equipped to react if an outbreak were to happen in their own Olympic year.
“Of course, as an organising committee it is something you want to avoid, so we have good relations with the state and the minister to make sure that if something like that were to happen, we would have a good response,” said Estanguet.
Paris is also watching and learning from Tokyo in many other areas. “Our team has been associated with the preparations of Tokyo 2020 over the last two years through the Coordination Commission meetings. All our directors went to Tokyo to have special exchanges in terms of venues, technology, sport communication – I’d like to thank Tokyo 2020 for sharing their expertise.
Games-time will be the key moment, he said. “We’ll go there to observe and learn. It will be very important for us to follow the event itself backstage. Many of my team have never organized an Olympic Games, so for them it will be very useful to go there.”
Half the carbon of London
London 2012 was a great step forward in sustainability for the Olympic Games and 12 years on, Paris is aiming for a new benchmark.
“We have no choice. This is a challenge the whole of humanity is facing and events need to be part of the solution,” Estanguet said.
“Our ambition is to divide by two the carbon footprint of the Games. Compared to London it’s less than half the footprint.”
The biggest contributor to carbon emissions is facilities, followed by transport. Paris’s ambition is all the more impressive considering that the target includes transport to – not just within – the host city.
“For the first time we will take into consideration all transport, including planes and spectators coming here, which is 1.5n tonnes of carbon. And within Paris our objective it to make sure people use public transport,” he told Host City.
The third biggest contributor to carbon emissions is energy, which provider EDF is mitigating by using 100 per cent renewables for the Games.
Control the budget
Staying in step with project milestones is not easy for any Olympic Games organiser. “We have many challenges,” said Estanguet. “We will start the first construction over the next months. It’s key to start as early as possible, to keep to the timeline.”
“We are still on track to deliver the first element of the buildings in January 2021. We have good commissions to choose who will build the aquatics centre.”
Using 95 per cent existing or temporary venues reduces much of the capital expenditure for Paris, but the Games will still require 6.8 billion euros of funding, including 1.2 billion of sponsorship.
“The commercial programme is on track,” he said. “It’s not as fast as Tokyo 2020, but their budget is much higher. With Paris 2024 we are in a situation where we can limit the budget to make sure we can deliver without having big exposure in terms of budget as has happened in recent Games, including Tokyo, where the budget has really increased since they have been elected.
“My first objective is to control the budget. We are confident we will find this money from the sponsorship programme, which is 1.2 billion euros. So far, we have good contact with companies and I’m very confident.
“We’ll also engage with the population; we’ll launch a big programme with Club 2024 open to everyone to participate in 2024. That’s crucial for us this coming year, to engage at a national and international level.”
The perfect wave
Paris had the choice of four sports to add to the programme for 2024 and appealing to young audiences was central to the decision. “We decided to choose two nature sports: surfing and climbing, and two more urban sports, breakdancing and skateboarding, to make sure youth who are really engaged on social media will be attracted by the 2024 programme,” said Estanguet.
This will be the first time that breakdancing features in the in the Olympic Games. “It is a good combination with the values of Paris 2024 because of the creativity and the link with culture – and it’s very technical, physical and spectacular. We believe it will add something new and different from the 28 current sports.”
He also revealed why the organising committee chose Tahiti as the venue for the surfing: “Because at this time of year there is a 95 per cent chance of the perfect wave.”
Sport as a service
The younger generation also exemplify the rise of everything-as-a-service, as highlighted by French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu.
“Right now we are at a crucial time for the sport movement. People want sport but the they want it differently – they expect it as service. We have to be more aware of what people want from us and what they need.
“Young people are waiting on us before, during and after the Games – we have to ready to bring them more facilities, more sports, more education in sports.”
And sport is not just for its own sake or for entertainment – it has a big role to play in tackling the big threats to humanity. “Sports can be the solution for better public health and environment. Sport can be a big solution for all politics and what society is facing right now.” -
Sponsors in the ring for Tokyo 2020 Olympic boxing qualifier
[Source: Jordan Olympic Committee] A host of major local and international sponsors have stepped into the ring to support the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier in Amman, Jordan, from 3-11 March 2020.
Following the Boxing Task Force’s (BTF) announcement that Jordan would host the prestigious Olympic qualifier, work has continued around the clock to prepare a world-class venue in the capital’s Prince Hamzah Hall at Al Hussein Youth City.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) will be supported by several major companies, including Worldwide Olympic Partner Coca-Cola, Societe Generale De Banque Jordan – SGBJ, Zain Jordan, Buffalo Wings and Rings, Taishan and Aramex.
“We have been short on time but huge on effort to ensure that this event meets the extremely high standards of the Olympic family,” said Nasser Majali, Secretary General of the Jordan Olympic Committee and CEO of the LOC.
“We are pleased with our progress and look forward to welcoming our friends from around the world to Amman over the coming days.
“The support that we have received from the business community has been particularly heartening and provides us with the helping hand required to host a world-class event.”
The qualifier is expected to attract the Asian and Oceania best boxers from 40 countries competing for 41 men’s qualifying spots in 8 weight divisions and 22 female qualifying spots in 5 weight divisions for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. -
The digitalisation of Games delivery
The Olympic Games is a time of great excitement and opportunity – particularly if you are the Worldwide IT Partner of the Games.
“We are very excited as we are less than 200 days away from Tokyo 2020,” Sophie Proust, Group EVP and Group CTO, Atos told Host City at Global Sports Week Paris. “There is a lot to do around data in the world of sports.”
Driverless Games
One major benefit of the Olympic Games is the way that TOP Partners work together to deliver the event, each focusing in their own area of expertise.
Toyota is the relevant TOP Partner regarding vehicles, mobility support robots and mobility services. In Tokyo this summer, 100 driverless cars will move passengers around venues in the city’s waterfront area.
“Major cities are getting more and more crowded, so we need to think about that. Autonomous vehicles are not yet a mature technology, so it has to be used in a very constrained way.
“For future Games, we could well imagine TOP Partners working together with the IOC and Organising Committees to develop in specific domains such as driverless cars.”
I ask if the Olympic Games present possibilities as a test bed for autonomous vehicles because the organisers already close lanes for VIPs. “You could think of things like that. The magic of the Olympic Games and other major events is that we can collaborate between big enterprises in different sectors and build concrete cases as the event is a real accelerator for innovation and technology.”
Major events as smart cities
Transport is just one area of event management were technology can bring transformative applications. “Smart cities are about managing electricity, water, transport and energy,” Proust explains. “The ecosystem is so vast in the city.”
The scale of some major events is such that they can be considered as smart cities, with all the diverse attributes of the event generating huge amounts of data.
“We are involved in every aspect of major events from program management and integration of systems to applications for spectators, partners and sponsors. All of these areas generate data, which needs to be managed and structured efficiently.
“And with events involving multiple sports in multiple cities it is getting quite complex!”
The introduction of five new sports for Tokyo 2020 presents interesting opportunities, she says. “Tokyo 2020 will be the biggest Olympic Games to date, generating tremendous amounts of data. Our role is to collect, process and secure all of this data which is extremely valuable.”
Atos is also working on making applications more efficient. “All the IT applications have been migrated onto the cloud, and have now developed cloud native applications to facilitate deployment. We must ensure that our applications are available in all languages, so the fan experience is enhanced. So there are a lot of topics to handle, it’s very exciting.”
“Thinking about the future of major events, one of our key strengths is to take the data and do something with it. We have more and more computations and analysis methods to measure success. This content is sent over to broadcast – but increasingly it’s also personalised to individual consumers.”
A stadium can also be considered to be a smart city. “There are different technology means for measurement and control to enhance the experience at an event. For instance, we are the lead integrator of the Advanced Access Control System for Tokyo 2020, reducing waiting time for athletes, coaching staff, volunteers and journalists at entry points of official venues – while being more secure.
“In terms of fluidifying flows, you need to know what method of transport people are using to arrive – car, bus, metro or train – so you can have a predictive sense of how the flows are going to come, and then analyse it and adapt accordingly.
“Getting people to locations safely is quite complex.”
Sports: a digital driver or dawdler?
It was suggested at Global Sports Week that the sports industry been slow to respond to digital disruption as compared to other sectors. But Proust – who as CTO at Atos works across the entire range of industry sectors – turns this idea on its head.
“For me, sports is a real driver for innovation and for digital transformation because of the massive amounts of data we collect, and because sport is such a major part of everyone’s life. So sport is really a good driver, because of the impact on society.”
Angels Martin, General Manager Olympics at Atos told Host City why some sports organisations might be slow to adopt new technology.
“Usually sport organisations are very risk-averse. The bigger the event, the more risk-averse the organisation is, because they don’t want to create a mess in the middle of a major sports event in front of such a big audience.
“We need to manage the risk of new technologies, because the Olympic Games is highly visible.
“What helps us the most is that we know the business very well, supporting the Olympic Movement for 30 years; we are able to analyse what would be the impact of a new technology; and also to manage and assess the risks. We understand the impact of any change, of any new technology we want to implement.”
It stands to reason that events with lower visibility than the Olympic Games present a greater opportunity to showcase new technologies. “We try to have a more mature proof of concept that we can propose to the organising committees of smaller events. And then if they are happy to implement this, then we do it. It is not a testing field but to see what the response is and the reaction – and also to check the technology, if this is something to be used later on in the Olympic Games.”
Leave organising to the experts
I ask Martin what she sees as the biggest challenge facing the major events sector.
“There are so many challenges,” she says. “Talking generally, governing bodies want to take more control over what is being delivered. This is an area where I think that we will see some changes in the future – governing bodies being more willing to take more control over delivery. This is going to help governing bodies to get more synergies and reduce cost.”
Given the scale and scope of organising an Olympic Games, and the rapidly increased role of technology in event delivery, specialist companies like Atos bring invaluable expertise.
“The most important value is our experience”, she says. “We’ve been doing this since Barcelona 1992. We know a lot about how the Olympic Games are organised. In order to be fully prepared, we start collaborating with each Organizing Committee 7 years before the start of the event. Having done multiple Olympics in the past, Atos has a key role in the transfer of knowledge from edition to edition.
“If you have a solution that needs to be reinvented every time for every single organising committee it makes no sense. There are some services that are exactly the same Games after Games – why can’t you replicate them?
“I am sure you can find synergies between different events as well. These would allow the governing body to make savings for the organising committee and host cities, if they don’t have to do everything from the start again and again.”
In PyeongChang, Atos created a number of centralised services that in the past were provided locally. “The same people that provided services for the PyeongChang Games are now providing the same services for Tokyo and for Beijing. We are not only creating savings for the IOC and organising committees but also capitalising on knowledge, which is very important.” -
Series of Olympic qualifiers demonstrates Jordan’s sporting ambitions
[Source: Jordan Olympic Committee] The Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) and its National Federations, the leading organisations committed to the development and growth of sport in the Kingdom, hosted the Tokyo 2020 Western Asia Table Tennis qualifier on 24-26 February, followed by the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier (3-11 March) and the Tokyo 2020 Asian taekwondo qualifier (10-12 April).
“We are honoured and excited to be welcoming hundreds of the world’s best athletes to Jordan over the next few months. Hosting a series of Tokyo 2020 qualifying events not only underlines Jordan’s sporting ambitions, it also demonstrates that the Kingdom has the experience to host world-class international sports events,” said Nasser Majali, Secretary General of the JOC and CEO of the Local Organising Committee for the Tokyo 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing qualifier.
“On behalf of the Jordan Olympic Committee, I would like to wish all athletes, coaches and officials travelling to Amman the very best of luck in their events.”
By hosting these major Olympic qualifiers, the JOC continues to inspire the next young generation of athletes at grassroots and elite levels, which is a key pillar of Jordan’s National Strategy for Sport.
The events will see up to 500 athletes from over 45 countries travel to Jordan’s capital. -
IOC commits to Tokyo 2020 dates despite coronavirus
[Source: IOC] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board heard a report on all the measures taken so far to address the coronavirus situation, which was followed by a comprehensive discussion.
A joint task force had already been created in mid-February, involving the IOC, Tokyo 2020, the host city of Tokyo, the government of Japan and the World Health Organization (WHO). The IOC Executive Board appreciates and supports the measures being taken, which constitute an important part of Tokyo’s plans to host safe and secure Games.
The IOC will continue to follow the advice of WHO, as the leading United Nations agency on this topic. The IOC Executive Board expressed its thanks to WHO for its continued valuable advice and cooperation.
It also praised the great unity and solidarity of the athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations and governments. It welcomed their close collaboration and flexibility with regard to the preparations for the Games, and particularly the qualification events. All stakeholders continue to work closely together to address the challenges of the coronavirus.
The IOC Executive Board encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The IOC will keep supporting the athletes by providing the latest information and developments, which are accessible for athletes worldwide on the Athlete365 website. -
Tokyo 2020 to take place in 2021
[Source: IOC / Tokyo 2020)The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Abe Shinzo, held a conference call this morning to discuss the constantly changing environment with regard to COVID-19 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
They were joined by Mori Yoshiro, the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee; the Olympic Minister, Hashimoto Seiko; the Governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko; the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission, John Coates; IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper; and the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director, Christophe Dubi.
President Bach and Prime Minister Abe expressed their shared concern about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and what it is doing to people’s lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes’ preparations for the Games.
In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against COVID-19.
The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is “accelerating”. There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.
In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.
The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of 3.4 million US dollars goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world. doing to people’s lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes’ preparations for the Games.
In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against COVID-19.
The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is “accelerating”. There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.
In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.
The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. -
Tokyo Games can be the “great symbol of hope”
At a time when the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games would have just been launching the opening ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach gave an upbeat prognosis for the delayed mega event via a video message.
“It can and will be the great comeback festival of sport to the international scene,” he said.
“These Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 in 2021, can, should and will be the light at the end of the tunnel that all humankind is in at this moment.
“We are living a period of great uncertainty. Then at the end of this very difficult period for humankind, the Olympic Games can be a great symbol of hope, of optimism, of solidarity and of unity in all of our diversity.
The disruption caused by Covid-19 creates unique challenges for all event organisers and staging the Olympic Games will be a challenge even with an additional year of preparation time.
“This is a mammoth task because we cannot prepare Olympic Games as we are used to. In fact, we have to prepare for multiple scenarios of Olympic Games. We have to take all of this into account – what could happen, what may happen.”
Safeguarding health
The safety of athletes is the guiding principle in the delivery of the Games, Bach said.
“This is the top priority – the Olympic Games will respect and safeguard the health of all of the participants.
“We want to prepare these Games, adapt it to the circumstances of the crisis at the time, while ensuring for everybody the Olympic spirit, because this is what makes the Olympic Games so unique, uniting the entire world. This spirit has to be and will be reflected.
“All the adaptations we may have to make will not affect venues, sports or the athletes, so we can give the athletes the stage to shine that they deserve.”
Tokyo 2020 as a post-Covid role model
Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee also gave a video message, in which he suggested that this dark cloud might have a silver lining.
“It is rather difficult for us to expect that the coronavirus pandemic will be contained, but if we can deliver the Tokyo Games and Paralympics ‘with coronavirus’ I think the Tokyo Games will become a role model for the next Olympic Games or other various international events,” he said.
“I strongly hope that this will make a mark – this will become a legacy for the history of mankind.”
The video messages were shared on 23rd July 2020. Credit: IOC, via sources: https://sportstar.thehindu.com/videos/tokyo-olympics-symbol-of-hope-covid-19-pandemic-thomas-bach-toshiro-muto/article32169344.ece# and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkzI8NeG3bY