Former Office Of The 2012 Olympics Mention Tokyo Olympics Eligible

Tokyo Olympics illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Former deputy chairman of the organizing committee for the 2012 London Olympics, Keith Mills, stated that if he is the person responsible for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he will cancel the global sports event.

Keith Mills in an interview with BBC radio said that the Summer Olympics scheduled for July-August this year seemed unlikely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"If I sit on the organizing committee in Tokyo, and fortunately not, I will make plans for the cancellation," he said as quoted by Reuters on Tuesday (Wednesday WIB).

"I'm sure they have plans for cancellation, but I think they'll really make the final decision at the last minute, to see if the situation improves dramatically and whether a vaccine is launched sooner.

"It's a tough call and I don't want to be in their position."

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga promised Monday to go ahead with preparations for the Olympics in the face of growing public opposition as Japan battles a spike in COVID-19 infections.

A recent media poll showed nearly 80 percent of Japanese people think the Olympics, which have been delayed a year due to the pandemic, should either be postponed again or be canceled entirely.

Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa Takaya downplayed the poll results and said the Olympics would continue, with as many spectators as possible and even without vaccinations.

"Our position remains - we will host the Olympics," he told the BBC.

World Athletic chairman Seb Coe, who was head of the 2012 organizing committee, told Sky News he didn't think the Olympics would be canceled but it would be a very different challenge and experience.

"Of all the countries on the planet that really have the grit, resilience and street smarts to see this, it's actually Japan," he said.

"I as the president of the federation is very grateful that Japan is handling this and not some other place I can think of. So I am sure we will be there.

"I think there is a big problem around crowds and athletes 'distance. Think about the athletes' village, there are 10,500 athletes and maybe 7,000 other support staff there and they all might want to eat at about the same time," he added.

"I think the Olympics will take place but it will look different."