Bach: Delaying the Tokyo Olympics is to save lives

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 24th (Reporter Ji Xunzijiang) The chairman of the International Olympic Committee, Bach, said on the 24th that the World Health Organization stated that "the new crown pneumonia pandemic is accelerating," leading them to decide to postpone the Tokyo Olympics, and the delay was for the sake of Save lives.

After the conference call between Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the two sides reached a consensus that the Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9 this year, were rescheduled to 2020, but not later than the summer of 2021 . As a result, the Tokyo Olympics became the first postponed Olympic Games in the 124-year history of the modern Olympics.

In an interview, Bach said that the IOC's executive committee agreed with this consensus reached with Abe.

"This is to save lives," Bach said.

He also said that the cost of the Tokyo Olympics extension has not been discussed with Shinzo Abe.

At this time, a new specific date for the Tokyo Olympics has not been set, Bach said: "After two hours (with Abe) of the conference call, I can't give you a definitive answer. That's why we decided that we need at least four weeks to evaluate these questions, And the problem doesn't stop there. "

Next, the IOC Coordinating Committee and the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee will work on a new date.

After the outbreak, the International Olympic Committee has always insisted that the Tokyo Olympics will be held as scheduled. On the 22nd local time in Lausanne, they said they would make a final decision in the next four weeks, and an extension is an option. However, pressure from all sides followed. As the epidemic situation in many countries worsened, the Olympic qualifying tournament was cancelled due to the epidemic situation, and some athletes were unable to guarantee training and preparation. The demand for postponement of the Olympic Games is getting louder.

Bach said the recent spread of the epidemic globally has left them with little choice but to delay the Olympics.