Tokyo Olympics 2021 set to be cancelled
The Japanese government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics 2021 will have to be cancelled because of coronavirus according to a report by The Times newspaper.
The Games, which were originally set to take place in 2020, had already been postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In recent polls about 80% of people in Japan do not want the Games to be held this summer, this is much down to fears over the influx of athletes that would ultimately spread the virus further.
Japan will now reportedly turn its focus to “securing the Games” in Tokyo for 2032, with Paris already in line to host the 2024 Games whilst Los Angeles will be putting on the show in 2028.
The Japanese government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus, and the focus is now on securing the Games for the city in the next available year, 2032 https://t.co/bsuB9wMt30
— The Times (@thetimes) January 21, 2021
The cancellation of the games will have a drastic financial impact on Japan, who have spent more that £18 billion already in preparations for the games.
The Times quoted that a senior member of the ruling coalition said “Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Only three editions of the Summer Olympics have been cancelled since the birth of the modern Olympic movement in 1896. The 1916 edition was cancelled due to World War I and both the 1940 and 1944 editions were cancelled due to World War II.
