IOC President Rules Out Moving Olympics to Another Year or City, Still Committed to July

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach remains steadfast that the 2020 Olympics are slated to begin July 23 in Tokyo and there are no plans to move the Games to another year or another city. 

In recent weeks there have been rumors that the Olympics would once again have to be altered because of COVID-19 concerns, but Bach firmly denied any such conversation is taking place. 

"We are not losing our time and energy on speculations but we are fully concentrating on the opening ceremony on the 23rd of July this year, Bach said." We are not speculating on whether the Games are taking place. We are working on how the games are taking place."

Bach added that the speculation was hurting the athletes and their preparations and that Japan is fully committed to hosting the Games on the planned date. When it comes to the COVID-19 countermeasures and fans in attendance, the IOC president was less convicted. 

"We will do whatever is needed to organize safe Olympic Games," Bach said. "Everybody would love to have full-capacity stadia and roaring crowds. If that is not possible, we will respect our principles, the safe organization. This is the first priority."

"If we think it would be irresponsible and the Games could not be safe, we would not go for it," he said.

Bach said that it was too early to decide which of the many COVID-19 countermeasures would be most appropriate when the time comes but said that the committee is doing its due diligence when it comes to fans in attendance and he cited that sports events around the world are safely being held.

"This is not something we are doing out of the blue or some wishful thinking," Bach said on the Olympics still taking place. "This is based on solid ground."

Bach also addressed a rumor that Olympic athletes would "jump the queue" when it comes to vaccinations and insisted this wouldn't be the case and that vulnerable groups and health workers should be prioritized.