A Japanese expert who has criticized the country’s response to COVID-19 warned Monday that he is “pessimistic” over whether it will be possible to hold the postponed Olympics even in 2021.
“To be honest with you I don’t think the Olympics is likely to be held next year,” said
Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University.
Japan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed last month to delay the Tokyo 2020 Games until July 2021, after pressure from athletes and sports federations.
But in recent days, as the new coronavirus pandemic has continued to spread worldwide, there have been questions about whether even a yearlong delay will be sufficient.
The cumulative number of confirmed cases in Japan of infection with the novel coronavirus reached 11,531 on Monday morning, including those who had been aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
“Holding (the) Olympics needs two conditions: one, controlling COVID-19 in Japan and (two) controlling COVID-19 everywhere — because you have to invite the athletes and the audience from all over the world,” Iwata told journalists at a news briefing.
“Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don’t think that would happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I’m very pessimistic about holding the Olympics Games next summer,” he added.
Iwata said he could only see the Games being held next year if they were significantly altered, “such as no audience, or very limited participation”.