A report by the Times has cast serious doubt on the viability of the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The Games were originally scheduled to run last summer but were postponed to this year due to the Coronavirus. However, the State of Emergency declared last month in Tokyo, alongside hospital bed occupancy in 19 of Japan’s 47 prefectures reaching stage 4 – the most critical level – with the highest numbers concentrated in Tokyo, means that the Games are in danger of not going ahead once more in 2021.
The Times is reporting that an unnamed senior member of the ruling coalition has said, "No one wants to be the first to say so but the consensus is that it’s too difficult. Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen." The source implies that the prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has given up hope on the Games and they are also unpopular with the Japanese population, as opinion polls show that 80 percent of Japanese people are against the Games going ahead in July and August.
Japan has rejected these claims with a public reply to the report on Friday. It said, “All our delivery partners including the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the IOC and the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) are fully focused on hosting the Games this summer. We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure Games."
IOC president, Thomas Bach, added, “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. This is why there is no plan B and this is why we are fully committed to make these Games safe and successful.”
Earlier in the week, Sir Keith Mills, the former chief executive of the London 2012 Olympics,
told the BBC, "If I was sitting in the shoes of the organising committee in Tokyo, I would be making plans for a cancellation... They've got another month or so before they need to make a call." However, Japan has reportedly spent at least $25 billion on the Games so far and will be keen to recoup that cost if possible. IOC member Dick Pound previously suggested that
athletes could get priority vaccines to ensure the Games go ahead while
a televised Games behind closed doors has also been suggested. However, this would mean that the Japanese authorities would lose out on generating money from ticket sales.
It seems that postponing to 2022 will not be a possibility for the Games either. Pound
told the BBC, "What we do know is 2021 is our last chance. It's not something we can put off until 2022 or 2023. I don't think it's fair to expect Japan to keep the balls in the air any longer." Instead, Japan may now be looking to use its infrastructure for a future Games. In 2024 the Olympics will be held in Paris, followed by Los Angeles in 2028 but the 2032 Games do not currently have a host city. The Times source said, "[The Government] want to show that they are ready to go, so that they will get another chance in 11 years. In these circumstances, no one could really object to that."
It is most likely that the decision to run the Games or not will be down to national governing bodies. The
original postponement of the Games was triggered when both Australia and Canada said they would not be sending any athletes. If any similar-sized nations declared the same this year we imagine that would be the death knell for the 2021 Games.
Athletes will only be hoping for an answer one way or another as soon as possible so they have the most time possible to tailor their training to the year ahead. We'll keep you updated with the status of the Olympics as it develops.
ps, Dick Pound
www.amazon.com/Inside-Olympics-Behind-Scenes-Politics/dp/0470838701
Couple of the reviews are quite funny
How do you get Dick from Richard?
Maybe asking him nicely...
www.velonews.com/culture/the-outer-line-a-discussion-with-dick-pound-the-first-president-of-wada
Remy is his enduro brother.
I see what you did there, Dick Pound.
No such worries from the Russian camp, their athletes have all had their injections, and feel ready to go. Team Dr's told them it was a vaccine...
If there is World Cup XC and World Cup DH, why is there ONLY Olympic XC?
www.marketwatch.com/story/japan-says-reports-of-the-tokyo-olympics-being-canceled-are-categorically-untrue-11611333895
Again my apologies.
I wear a mask. I do social distancing . I'm extra careful not to get injured.
Way before Covid I understood viral transmission it's not a new subject. I do everything I can in a practical way to reduce getting or transmitting and virus or bacteria.
Unfortunately I don't see a light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Pink Bike this story is depressing there is nothing positive about this . Nothing.
So why post this? Can you keep the vibes positive and we can all get depressed watching the news.
I know Pink Bike changed . The publication makes a concerted effort to promote healthy happy conversation.
I blew it. I felt depressed and angry.
Because of this cold shitty reality.
Any professional athlete would trade 10 world championships for a Olympic gold medal without blinking.
I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just the way it is.
We are shutting down the concept of social interaction. Then the next pandemic will hit. Does anyone read history?
Is this the new reality? Covid just like your mutating colds and mutating flues is not going away. Ever!
Untill we change our attitude about Covid we are all prisoners pinned down in fear.
BTW 3700 plus people die every day from automobiles. Now there's a f*cking pandemic!
Rant over!
I made a statement of simple fact, our hospitals in the UK are, almost entirely now concentrating resources on covid, other forms of care are being suspended, people are not being diagnosed with issues that may be far more deadly to them than covid will be.
As a result, attempts are being made to reduce the amount of people becoming ill, its not being done for fun, is it?
Me stating this fact (Not opinion) in no way means I dont understand other obvious damages being caused to society as a result of the mitigating measures but comparing this to 'automobile deaths' is gobshite.
So, until somebody enlightens the world with an alternative form of dealing with this situation, harping on about changing attitudes, automobile deaths and a sporting event being postponed changing the fabric of society forever is nothing but gobshite.
Over to you, how am I a moron?
Off you pop.
If its anything at all to do with bill gates, scamdemic, great reset or anything even closely related then dont bother and kep your gobshite to yourself.
Don't believe me, it is directly on WHO Flunet website. You can see the charts for cases Global, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, and any respective country.
www.who.int/tools/flunet
I’m not sure who you describe as ‘they’ but what you are suggesting would require every doctor in every building in the world who reports reason of death to be ‘in on it’. Sound likely? Not really.
As it’s a subject you brought up, could you tell me why you believe flu is as you say 99% lower?
I am not getting into this with you ,the gentleman above obviously feels a disconnect, I am simply letting him know this is not the place to do so ,as it is an arena for the more malevolent aspects of peoples character, for Pete sake have some f*cking humanity and stop attacking everyone you have a different opinion to.
Here is an article by WHO on influenza. Part of it describes the effectiveness of measures like personal hygiene, masks, shutdowns, etc. Just hand washing measures estimates are decreasing cases 6%-44% or possibly 50% in Pakistan from their studies. There is nothing close to any exact data that shows that all the measures together can be taken to decrease flu cases 99%.
Go to: 2.1. Effectiveness and feasibility of individual-level measures.
www.who.int/influenza/resources/research/research_agenda_influenza_stream_2_limiting_spread.pdf
It’s not enough to pick a point and call it out without answering the question as to why, and who - it’s here I am yet to see a believable or logical answer with some factual basis.
I just came to show the WHO facts on SShredder's comment. It is funny how you guys still ignore the WHO facts. Red herring fallacy.
If you have theory or opinion but you are reluctant to share it doesn’t that make you reflect on the theory as maybe lacking truth?
Put it this way, do I think governments would waste a good crisis? Hell no, do I think they would create the crisis though - not sure about that.
But at this point, while people are dying and hospitals are at boiling point, what theory makes sense other than the reality in front of you?
It is not useful because you are not debating the issue with any facts or research. Again, 99% of flu cases down worldwide and every country is the same. Those are the facts from your highest health authority, WHO. Explain the reasoning and refute them with your facts and research of the experts. But you guys have none.
The only thing you guys have just been spewing is that my facts from WHO is that it is crazy conspiracy theory and stupid name calling. Lowest form of debate.
Peskycoots, shouldn't you be spending time with and parenting your 6-year old rather than trolling? Just a thought.
Saying something about FLU doesn’t really answer anything - what do you think is going on here and why, let’s move past the flu / who figure at this point.
You are not showing facts you are showing data and calling it facts. What you lack is anything that tells me your theory is more than just some guys theory around complicated Data he doesn't really understand. Because of that he is trying to make meaning of this data based on his political perspective rather than any real context.
Then disprove the WHO facts and show me data or research that is contrary to the WHO data. But you cannot because none of you have posted any links to any data or research. I have posted two. Both from WHO.
I believe the explanation in the article in Nature, www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03519-3. I don't think your explanation of the data holds any merit because it is speculation where as this is published research.
.
Lets say for hypothetical speaking, the theories that Nature posts are true that cases in first world countries are down 99% because of social distancing, masks, and increased flu vaccines. There is no way all countries would be down 99%. No way, third world countries like India, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, etc increased their flu vaccines, social distancing, good hygiene and masks to the point where flu cases are down 99%. People live in those countries live in extreme poverty, have very few masks, very few are getting flu shots, don't have access to clean water for good hygiene, live in extreme high density housing, live in cardboard boxes, etc, etc. It is an impossibility that has astronomical odds that the flu cases are 99% down in all countries around the world.
Even to say that in first world countries social distancing, increased flu vaccines, and good hygiene has dropped cases 99% is an impossibility. Flu vaccines have an efficacy rate of only 40-60%. 40-60% not 99%. With Influenza having an R0 of 1 to 2 and COVID R0 is 2 to 3. Influenza is still very contagious where the cases wouldn't be down 99% if COVID cases are still exploding. Perhaps decreased cases, but no where near 99% down.
My Theory (opinion) is that cases must be down 99% because they are just labeling flu cases as COVID now. The motivation: Money, power, control. It doesn't take much for millions of people to align by controlling the narrative and people are motivated by money and keeping their jobs. Could it be possible companies/governments want to sell billions of vaccines and tests? Trillions of dollars on the line. Much like the 2008 Financial collapse. The big banks were controlling the narratives worldwide and everyone supported them because of the money they were getting paid and/or fear of losing their jobs. Only a handful of very smart people knew and figured out what was going on behind the curtain.
UK for example, furlough, business support grants, trillions of debt, political damage they may not recover from, business large and small still failing, other aspects of social and medical care in crisis.
All this for a vaccine that’s £3.00 each?
Please tell me, who’s making the money? How did they convince the worlds governments to toe the line and accept destruction of their own country for a tiny few billion worth of vaccine profit?
Also, government leaders and governments make a ton of money on something like this. First the tax revenue. Second possibly personal money through all kinds of different means. There are countless examples of government leaders and officials getting big kickbacks for choosing to sign government contracts with companies. Adding money, power, control to the equations, people's motivations become clear. Just like right now, many countries and their leaders are trying to push The Great Reset by the World Economic Forum. More globalists wanting to control the entire world populations. Just my theories and opinions.
As I said, governments and business don’t waste a good crisis, but I will need to go a long long way to believe that the money making isn’t more opportunism mixed in with corruption and instead the whole response is based around it.