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International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach’s scheduled visit to Japan in May has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee CEO Toshiro Muto told the media in online interaction.
Bach was to visit the country to check on preparations for the Games that was earlier postponed due to the pandemic. He was also scheduled to visit Hiroshima at the same time as the Olympic torch relay’s leg in the city. The relay itself, which was scheduled to start on March 26 was suspended following the postponement of the Olympics.
No new date has been set for Bach’s visit to the country.
Tokyo Games chief executive has said he cannot guarantee if the Olympics, which have been postponed by a year in the wake of COVID-10 pandemic, will be held in 2021.
The Olympics was originally scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9 this year. “I don’t think anyone would be able to say if it is going to be possible to get it under control by next July or not,” Muto said. “We’re certainly not in a position to give you a clear answer.”
Speaking through an interpreter at a news conference conducted remotely, Muto said, it’s impossible to predict where the world will be with the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2021, when the Games were rescheduled to begin.
“We have made the decision to postpone the games by one year. So this means that all we can do is work hard to prepare for the games.”
“We sincerely hope that come next year mankind will manage to overcome the coronavirus crisis,” he added.
(With Agency Inputs)
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