What season of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021?

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

On March 24, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese government approved the postponement of the Tokyo Games to 2021, due to the global coronavirus pandemic. During the next few weeks, the IOC should announce the new dates for the Summer Olympics. With a surprise in store?

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“ All options are on the table, before and during the summer of 2021. ” Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, sowed doubt on March 25, 2020 by announcing that the period to which the Tokyo Games would be postponed because of the coronavirus was not fixed.

It is obviously not certain that these Olympic Games will be held in July-August 2021, as was planned for 2020. A task force nicknamed "Here We Go" will therefore be responsible for looking for the best solution and the best season for the next OJ.

Summer Games… in winter?

It would be an absolute surprise: that the Summer Games would take place between January 1 and March 20, 2021.

This option would however have several advantages. First of all, it would avoid waiting too long compared to the initial dates (July 24-August 9, 2020). Then, the climate is cold but rather dry in January-February, in the Japanese capital. In short, an environment probably more conducive to the practice of high-level sport than the summer heat wave. Finally, no major exceptional sporting event is planned for this period, especially if these 2021 Olympic Games are scheduled after the Australian Tennis Open (January 18-31) and the African Cup of Nations in football (January 9 -February 6). Finally, these Tokyo Games would not disturb the outcome of the major collective sport competitions (NBA season, European Football Champions League, etc.).

Distrust, however: with the global pandemic of Covid-19, several 2020 sporting events risk being postponed to the first quarter of 2021 and organizations such as ATP (tennis), UEFA (football) may not be ready to make concessions. Finally, it is not at all certain that the crisis linked to the coronavirus has sufficiently passed by this time.

Spring, an emblematic season in Japan

And why not in the spring, between March 20 and June 21? This idea seems possible.

This is an emblematic season in Japan, especially in Tokyo, during which the Japanese take most of their (short) holidays. The climate is ideal in April-May, with mild temperatures and moderate precipitation. There too, exceptional sporting events (World Championships or multisport event such as games) will be rare, before mid-June.

On the other hand, the 2021 Olympic Games would overshadow the end of competitions that the major broadcasters and business partners of the IOC hold dear: the UEFA Champions League, NBA, etc.

In summer, yes, but when exactly ?

The easiest way would therefore be to organize the Summer Games ... in summer. But not at any time. Because mid-June to mid-July generally corresponds to a rainy season in Tokyo. It will also be the period to which the Euro and Copa America football will be postponed.

Go back to July / August? This solution would have the preference of the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. But it would force to postpone certain world championships (athletics, swimming) and would threaten smaller events (such as the Games of La Francophonie). The issue of the Tokyo heat wave, which caused a lot of ink to flow, would also come back to the fore. Finally, it would leave less time to plan for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games (Beijing), the 2022 Youth Olympic Games (Dakar) and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

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