The 2020 Olympics, scheduled for Tokyo, are postponed due to the coronavirus but trying to regroup for 2021. According to the Associated Press, a one year's postponement of the games, which includes the Paralympics, will cost at least $2 billion dollars, and there is a dispute over who should bear that cost. The International Olympic Committee (IOC)  issued a statement claiming the prime minister of Japan had agreed to pay, but representatives of the Japanese government quickly asked the IOC to remove that portion of the statement. The Associated Press reports that the contract between the IOC and the Tokyo Organizing Committee calls for Japan to bear the costs, but the issue is becoming a sticky topic in Japan, where the public is getting frustrated over reports that the public has already spent close to $20 billion of public money on games that haven't even happened yet.

 

HERE IS THE REVISED STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE IOC ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE OLYMPICS:

 

The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) and the IOC met today for an executive project review via teleconference. IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates and Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi joined Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshiro and CEO Muto Toshiro for the meeting. During the productive discussion, Tokyo 2020 and the IOC agreed on the following framework, that will govern preparations for the postponed Games: 

 

Governance

 

The process to deliver the Games in 2021 is overseen by a Joint Steering Committee which is led by IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates and Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshiro. The Committee will include Tokyo 2020 CEO Muto Toshiro and IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi.The meetings of the Joint Steering Committee will be held whenever necessary, in order to ensure permanent coordination and efficient decision-making.

 

Supporting this Joint Steering Committee, Tokyo 2020 and the IOC will each have their own respective task forces: the “Here We Go” task Force on the IOC side, and the “New Launch” Task Force on the Tokyo 2020 side.

 

Principles

 

The key elements of the planning for 2021 should replicate the existing Games Delivery Plan for 2020. Particular focus will be placed on the venues and the competition schedule, which were originally agreed by all stakeholders as the best plan for the 2020 edition. On this basis, the Japanese side including Tokyo 2020 will request that each planned venue owner organises the Games according to this schedule on the new dates in 2021. The Japanese side will also seek understanding for these preparations.

 

On the basis of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and all Olympic and Paralympic Movement stakeholders, in conjunction with Japanese side including the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, will explore all opportunities to optimise and streamline the scope and service levels at the Games, and reduce the costs that have been caused by the postponement. The IOC and the Japanese side, including the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, will continue to assess and discuss jointly about the respective impacts caused by the postponement.

 

A number of measures addressing the potential impact of COVID-19 will be incorporated into the Games Delivery Plan for the Games in 2021.

 

Timeline

 

The details of planning for Tokyo 2020 in 2021 are being examined this month with a view to establishing a new roadmap for the Games by May 2020, in order to then align resources and priorities accordingly. 

 

Speaking after the meeting, IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates said, “Since the postponement of Tokyo 2020 to 2021 was agreed a few weeks ago, the strong spirit of collaboration between the IOC, the IPC, the Olympic Movement, Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese authorities has already allowed us to bring some clarity and certainty to athletes, fans and stakeholders around the world. The principles outlined today will allow us to continue in this spirit, and to answer the many questions that remain, in as efficient a manner as possible.

 

We believe that the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times, and that the Olympic flame can be the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. The Joint Steering Committee will give its all to ensure that this is the case.”

 

Yoshiro commented, “Soon after the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Games on March 24, 2020, Tokyo 2020 established a ‘New Launch’ task force on March 26th and we have been working since then to create a structure capable of overcoming these unprecedented challenges. We believe that today's new step is an important achievement in advancing over the coming year what we have prepared over the past five to six years. We will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the success of the Games.”