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Will the Tokyo Olympics go ahead?


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Despite Covid-19 still posing a major threat, the Olympics are scheduled to run from 23 July to 8 August, with the Paralympics due to follow from 24 august to 5 September, but ten months on from their postponement, there is growing concern over the cancellation of the Games. Last month The Times said an unnamed senior member of Japan’s government reported the Tokyo Olympics were set to be canceled. After that the Japanese government said that it is determined the Games will g ahead.

It’s important for Japan to hold Tokyo Olympics. Furthermore, the Games will be a symbol of humanity overcoming the novel coronavirus. But why rumors about the Tokyo Olympics were spread and who benefits from cancellation of the Games…Or maybe world powers interfered in it?

As we all know, Joe Biden won the US Presidential election began an aggressive agenda as president, including a number of executive orders aimed at getting the Covid-19 pandemic under control. First of all he planned to tighten measures to combat coronavirus. And it’s a well-known fact that USA, being one of the closest ally of Japan, can influence Tokyo. So, cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics would be Biden’s personal victory. It doesn’t matter for the United States that more than 15,000 athletes are waiting for their Olympics dreams to come true and Tokyo do their best to hold the Games, Washington only aims at demonstrating its power.

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1 hour ago, debateroom said:

Despite Covid-19 still posing a major threat, the Olympics are scheduled to run from 23 July to 8 August, with the Paralympics due to follow from 24 august to 5 September, but ten months on from their postponement, there is growing concern over the cancellation of the Games. Last month The Times said an unnamed senior member of Japan’s government reported the Tokyo Olympics were set to be canceled. After that the Japanese government said that it is determined the Games will g ahead.

It’s important for Japan to hold Tokyo Olympics. Furthermore, the Games will be a symbol of humanity overcoming the novel coronavirus. But why rumors about the Tokyo Olympics were spread and who benefits from cancellation of the Games…Or maybe world powers interfered in it?

As we all know, Joe Biden won the US Presidential election began an aggressive agenda as president, including a number of executive orders aimed at getting the Covid-19 pandemic under control. First of all he planned to tighten measures to combat coronavirus. And it’s a well-known fact that USA, being one of the closest ally of Japan, can influence Tokyo. So, cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics would be Biden’s personal victory. It doesn’t matter for the United States that more than 15,000 athletes are waiting for their Olympics dreams to come true and Tokyo do their best to hold the Games, Washington only aims at demonstrating its power.

The short answer to the thread title is yes, the Tokyo Olympics will go ahead.  Don't buy anything into what the Times said (particularly where they couldn't - or chose not to - name a source).  They likely put that story out there to get some attention and force a response from the Japanese organizers.  Mission accomplished on both ends.  As much as the citizens of Tokyo are hesitant to have people from all over the world descend upon their country, and with good reason, there's too much invested on the part of the organizers and the IOC for the Olympics to not go ahead this summer.  So they'll make it work with all the necessary protocols and procedures in place, even if that means it doesn't quite feel like the Olympics we're used to seeing.

As for your last paragraph.. absolutely none of that rings true at any level, IMO.  Sure, Biden has been aggressive with regard to COVID (as the previous administration should have been, but obviously wasn't.  What does "Washington only aims at demonstrating its power" mean, especially in the context of the Olympics?  Biden has much more pressing matters than to give any mind to the United States' ties to Japan and any influence they might have over whether or not the Olympics are held.  Are you trying to say that you believe the United States could pressure the Olympic organizers into cancelling the Olympics and that Joe Biden would claim ownership of that move?  That's one of the more nonsensical things I've seen here recently.  I'm struggling to understand the logic where you put that thought process together where you believe Joe Biden or the United States would want to prevent the Tokyo Olympics from proceeding (now the Beijing Olympics.. that's a different story altogether, and there's already a thread for that if you want to jump into those waters)

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5 hours ago, OlympicBoy said:

I am going with Quaker2001 here.

I read an article in the german journal "Tagesschau" two days ago. The new president of the Tokyo Organising Committee Seiko Hashimoto declared her point of view: “As someone with an athletic background, I will carry out a safe Games for both athletes and citizens.”

She also said, that she will ensure that the focus in the final months of preparation remains on the athletes experience while planning all the necessary Covid-19 countermeasures. 

Still its not save to say how the Covid-19 pandemic will evolve in the near future. Nevertheless I guess the Organising Committee are doing want they can to hold the Olympic games in Japan.

When the pandemic first hit last year, the initial response was "we are committed to holding the Games on schedule and we have not considered alternatives."  A week later, they announced a postponement.

This time, they're fully committed to making it happen.  They've said another postponement is not an option (this time I believe them) so they have no choice but to push forward given whatever restrictions they feel will be necessary.  And like Stefan said, a new leader coming in just a few months before the games, what else should they say?

You're right, we have no idea what the trajectory of the pandemic will be, but yes, they'll do whatever they can to ensure the Olympics happen this summer.  There's no alternative to that approach at this point

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