By Mary Cunningham
With some events just days away from their scheduled start, A COVID-19 outbreak could lead to cancellation of the 2021 version of the 2020 Olympics.
This Reuters report has the details, as organizers face a backlash from the Japanese public and Covid cases begin to pile up in the Olympic Village bubble, which some say isn’t nearly secure enough.
The chief of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee on Tuesday did not rule out a last-minute cancellation of the Olympics, as more athletes tested positive for COVID-19 and major sponsors ditched plans to attend Friday’s opening ceremony.
Asked at a news conference whether the global sporting showpiece might still be canceled, Toshiro Muto said he would keep an eye on infection numbers and liaise with other organizers if necessary.
“We can’t predict what will happen with the number of coronavirus cases. So we will continue discussions if there is a spike in cases,” Muto said.
“We have agreed that based on the coronavirus situation, we will convene five-party talks again. At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises.”
