Although the start of the Tokyo Olympics is just days away, the head of the event’s organizing committee says he’s not ruling out a last-minute cancellation as Japan’s COVID cases continue to surge.
“We can’t predict what will happen with the number of coronavirus cases,” says Toshiro Muto, the committee’s CEO. “So we will continue discussions if there is a spike in cases. I think that is all I can say at this juncture.”
Although Japanese officials earlier this month declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 outbreak, Olympics President Seiko Hashimoto says he feels the games will be safe — but what really matters is whether spectators feel safe. “The problems have given rise to many people feeling discontent and anxiety about the Tokyo Games,” he says.
The chief of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee addressed concerns of rising COVID-19 cases—and did not rule out the possibility of a last-minute cancellation of the games. https://t.co/AKRPEkdkpH
— ABC News (@ABC) July 21, 2021
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