IOC chief Bach says 'no Plan B' for Tokyo Games
- Thomas Bach reaffirmed his commitment to holding the Tokyo Olympics later this year.
Reuters, Tokyo
PUBLISHED ON JAN 21, 2021 10:09 PM IST
There is "no Plan B" for the Tokyo Games, says International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who reaffirmed his commitment to holding the showpiece event this year in an interview with Kyodo News on Thursday.
After the Games were postponed last year because of the global novel coronavirus pandemic, Saturday marks six months until the rearranged Olympics are due to start on July 23. Despite dwindling public support and a surge in coronavirus cases across the world, organisers are adamant the Games will go ahead.
"We have at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo," Bach told Kyodo News. "This is why there is no Plan B and this is why we are fully committed to make these Games safe and successful," he added.
With the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on the horizon and rapidly escalating costs further reducing public support, Tokyo organisers have repeatedly ruled out postponing the Games again.
New Tokyo Olympic president tries to assure Japan on safety
AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 05, 2021 06:20 PM IST
- Seiko Hashimoto is trying to assure everyone that the Olympics will be safe and secure, a phrase she repeated a dozen times Friday in her inaugural news conference.
No fans from abroad for postponed Tokyo Olympics: Report
PTI
PUBLISHED ON MAR 03, 2021 05:06 PM IST
The report came just an hour before Tokyo organizers held “five-party” talks online with the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the central government of Japan.
Tokyo Olympics add 12 women to executive board to reach 42%
AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 02, 2021 04:51 PM IST
- To accommodate the new women, the size of the board was increased from 35 to 45. Several resignations on Tuesday also created more space.
BWF extends Tokyo Games qualification window to June 15
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 19, 2021 12:59 PM IST
The Malaysia Open, which was initially scheduled for March 31-April 4, has been pushed back to May 25-30, while April's Malaysia Masters has been postponed until further notice.
Osaka says Tokyo 2020 chief resignation over sexist comments was 'really good'
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 18, 2021 02:01 PM IST
On Thursday, after about two weeks of international furore, he was replaced by Japan's Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto, a woman who has competed in seven Olympics, was born just days before Tokyo hosted the 1964 games, and was named after the Olympic flame.
Indian table tennis players look to shake off rust ahead of Tokyo qualifiers
By Avishek Roy, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 16, 2021 07:04 PM IST
- Anxious for competition amid the pandemic, stars like Achanta Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra will begin Olympics-focused build-up with the Table Tennis national championships.
Olympic boxing qualification events canceled, postponed
PTI
PUBLISHED ON FEB 16, 2021 06:03 PM IST
The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday plans were changed because of “current challenges to international travel and related restrictions in many countries” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tokyo organisers could choose new president this week: report
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 15, 2021 10:18 AM IST
Local organisers need to "urgently" pick a new president with just five months left to prepare for the Games amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are setting up a selection committee made up of an equal number of men and women, the group's chief executive Toshiro Muto said last week.
Quelling lockdown blues, race walker trio makes Tokyo cut
By Avishek Roy
PUBLISHED ON FEB 14, 2021 07:53 AM IST
- At the National Open Race Walking Championships in Ranchi, Kumar and Goswami showed great resolve to not only book Tokyo Olympics berths, but also shatter the national records.
Navdeep, Arvind win gold to secure quotas for Tokyo Paralympic Games
PTI
PUBLISHED ON FEB 13, 2021 04:13 PM IST
Overall, India has claimed 17 medals including nine gold, with four of them coming on Friday.
Tokyo Olympics rules will make it a 'different experience', feel athletes
By Avishek Roy
PUBLISHED ON FEB 11, 2021 07:28 PM IST
“This Olympics will be a different experience for sure,” said boxing legend Mary Kom, bronze medallist at the London Olympics.
Reports: Mori to resign Tokyo Olympics over sexist remarks
AP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 11, 2021 03:14 PM IST
- The move follows his sexist comments about women more than a week ago, and an ensuing and rare public debate in Japan about gender equality. They also come just over five months before the Olympics are to open.
Tokyo Olympics chief apologises, but refuses to resign over sexist comments
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 04, 2021 11:32 AM IST
The 83-year-old Mori, a former Japanese prime minister and head of the Tokyo organising committee, acknowledged that his comments that women board members talked too much were "inappropriate" and against the Olympic spirit.
Tokyo Olympics chief says he may resign as furore grows over sexist comments
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 04, 2021 08:19 AM IST
On social media, Mori's comments caused an immediate furore. The hashtag "Mori, please resign" was trending on Twitter in Japan on Thursday morning and some users on the platform were already calling on sponsors to pressure the Tokyo organising committee into dropping him from the top post.
Right to protest rule could see Olympics face unique challenge
By Sharda Ugra
PUBLISHED ON JAN 29, 2021 08:14 AM IST
- Rule 50 is one of the 61 rules in the Olympic Charter, and specifically it is rule 50.2 which may turn up frequently in 2021, its pot constantly on stir and simmer. The rule says: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”