International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach’s Japan visit was forced to be postpone, organisers said Monday, after a coronavirus state of emergency was extended less than three months before the Tokyo Games.
The IOC chief’s trip was scheduled between May 17-18 but organisers “decided to postpone it based on various situations including the (government’s) extension of a virus state of emergency”.
Japanese government and Olympic officials insist the virus-postponed Games can go ahead safely this summer, although polls show most Japanese people support cancellation or another delay.
Meanwhile, Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo 2020 Games, had earlier said that it would be “very difficult” to arrange the visit of IOC chief in the prevalent state of emergency.
Notably, Japan’s Covid-19 outbreak is comparitavely much smaller than other countries as it has so far recorded just 10,800 deaths.