IOC’s Coates reiterates Olympics will go ahead as scheduled

With Wednesday (April 14) marking 100 days to go until the Tokyo Olympics are due to start, International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission Chair John Coates reiterated that the Games will go ahead.

Japan has decided to stage this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics without overseas spectators due to public concern about COVID-19.

The Olympics, postponed by a year because of the pandemic, are scheduled for July 23 to August 8 and the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5.

“They certainly will happen. They will commence the Games on the 23rd of July,” Coates said,

“I have no hesitation in saying that the Games will take place and they’ll be the safest Games possible. All of the countermeasures have been put in place to deal with COVID to ensure that the public, the athletes and all of the other participants are safe. They will take place as scheduled.”

Coates added that the Games going ahead will be a ‘victory of humankind’ over the pandemic.

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