Tokyo Olympics Fate Doubted, KOI: Cancel, Consequences And Losses Severe For Japan

Chairman of KOI Raja Sapta Oktohari (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) hopes the 2020 Tokyo Olympics can still be held as scheduled on July 23-August 8, although Japan is still struggling to reduce the rate of COVID-19 cases in the country.

KOI Chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari said the Olympics in Tokyo are important, not only as an arena for athletes to compete and achieve achievements, but also a promotional event for Indonesia's candidacy to host the 2032 Olympics.

"Surely we want (the Olympics) to be held especially we want to host the 2032 Olympics. If there is a cancellation of course the consequences and losses will be very heavy for Japan," Oktohari said when contacted by Antara in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The man familiarly called Okto also confirmed the Red and White Contingent will continue to prepare for the quadrennial games as long as there is no official statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the cancellation.

He added that the organizers' decision on banning attendance of spectators, both foreign and local, would not be a problem. Okto believes in the health protocol guidelines prepared by the committee for the safe and secure implementation of the Olympics.

"The audience is a matter of one thing. The most important thing is the competition itself because that's what makes it an Olympic event," Okto said.

The fate of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is increasingly in doubt amid the japanese public's insistence that the games be cancelled.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has also extended the state of emergency in Tokyo until the end of May and is struggling to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases, which further raises further questions about whether the Olympics should continue.

But the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee and Suga have confirmed the Olympics will continue in a safe and secure manner.

The organizing committee has even published health protocol guidelines during the Olympics, such as the obligation to test COVID-19 twice before departure until periodic tests during the event.

Several Olympic trial events have actually been held successfully. The latest is an athletic trial at New National Stadium on Sunday, May 9.

During the event, athletes are required to take the COVID-19 test daily, and they are also placed in bubbles and are not allowed outside except for the stadium.