The International Olympic Committee (IOC) General Assembly was held in Lausanne, Switzerland on 17 July to discuss the Tokyo Olympics, which were recently postponed for 12 months as a result of COVID-19.
The organizing committee has announced a new competition schedule, with the Opening Ceremony now confirmed for Friday 23 July 2021.
The original schedule will remain largely intact with most of the record 339 events across 33 sports to be held on the same day of the week as planned in the original 2020 schedule and the Olympics to run for 17 days from 23 July 2021.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) chairman Tomas Bach said, “We are preparing multiple scenarios,” taking into account potential risks from COVID-19. However, holding events without spectators is clearly something the IOC does not want.
If the Olympic Games are held as usual, it is inevitable that spectators and athletes from all over the world will be “socially close.”
Many experts have expressed views that the early development and stable supply of a vaccine are required if such large-scale events are to be safely held in the future.