The International Olympic Committee guarantees the inauguration of the postponed Tokyo Olympics
The International Olympic Committee assured international sports federations on Thursday that the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be inaugurated on July 23.
The IOC and Tokyo organizers held virtual sessions with about 200 national Olympic committees and the more than 30 summer sports entities participating in the program.
"We are confident that the Tokyo Games next year will take place," said IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell to delegates at the virtual conference. "We go forward with that premise."
The sessions were closed to the press. Only the opening speeches were released.
The IOC and the local organizing committee have been trying for months to revive the interest of the Japanese public.
They also want to reassure sponsors who have invested billions of dollars that the Olympic Games can be held amid a pandemic.
Concrete plans are not expected to be revealed until the end of the year or the beginning of 2021. The big unknown is how more than 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be able to enter Japan, as well as judges, sponsors, media, and logistical staff.
It has not been clarified either if the presence of spectators at the venues or fans from abroad will be allowed.
At the beginning of the month, local organizers announced cuts to the Olympic program, around $280 million - approximately 2% of the official budget. There were no cuts in terms of sports or the number of participants.
The cuts, mostly modest and in secondary aspects, do not include the additional expenses caused by the one-year delay, which in Japan is estimated to amount between $2,000 and $3,000 million.
The organizing committee has not yet provided a comprehensive cost for the delay.
Andrew Ryan, the Executive Director of the Association of International Olympic Sports Federations, addressed the cuts in his speech on Thursday.
"From the perspective of the federations, it is really important that any savings we can identify are real or do not have an impact or affect participation," Ryan said. "We know the need to have public support inside and outside of Japan, but we cannot lose sight of the need for significant savings."
Each international federation closely guards its sport in the Games, demanding the best facilities, an expense that is borne by the local organizers. (D)