Olympic Games Facing ‘Unprecedented Challenge’ Says IOC President Bach
March 25, 2020
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, has stated that the Tokyo Games is facing an ‘unprecedented challenge’ following the decision to postpone this summer’s event.
Bach told a media conference call, ” We have never seen such a spread of a virus worldwide before. Therefore, it is also an unprecedented challenge for the Olympic Games. This is why, to my knowledge, this postponement of the Games is a first-ever in Olympic history.”
The IOC President added that no specific dates have yet been discussed for the rearranging of the event, “The Prime Minister and I did not discuss the timeframe. This will be up to the Coordination Commission and the Organising Committee. This is part of their discussions about the scenarios. There are a lot of pieces in this huge and very difficult jigsaw puzzle.
“This is really a big challenge. Finances have not been discussed, because it’s about protecting human lives, and financial considerations cannot take priority. Prime Minister Abe has declared the full support and commitment of the Japanese government to make this solution work and to have successful Games in the end.”
When asked if the situation continues until next summer whether possible cancellation of the games could come into effect, Bach stated, “The concern and the commitment of the IOC are to organise Olympic Games in an environment and in a way which safeguards the health of all the people involved, of every participant in any capacity. This commitment will not change, and this principle will guide us in all the decisions we are taking, as it has guided us in all the decisions that we have been taking in the recent past.”
With other World Championships planned to take place next year, the IOC President commented, “These are exactly the reasons why on Sunday we had decided that we need at least four weeks to address these questions. These events are not the only ones. The Olympic Games is the most complex event in the world.”
