Bach against Olympia without spectators: "Not what we want

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Bach supports the attitude of the local organisers
Bach supports the attitude of the local organisers

Berlin - 'There are so many different options'

By AFP

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Published: Fri 22 May 2020, 10:06 AM

Last updated: Fri 22 May 2020, 12:12 PM

IOC President Thomas Bach has spoken out against "Olympic Ghost Games" in Tokyo next year. Olympia without spectators "is not what we want," said Bach in an interview with the BBC: "The Olympic spirit is also based on uniting the fans. The fact that fans from all over the world are together in an Olympic stadium is what makes the games so unique."
Bach does not want to rule out entirely that the Olympic Games, which have been postponed to the coming summer due to the effects of the corona pandemic, could be held in front of empty seats. "Should a decision really have to be made ... I would ask that I be given more time to consult with the athletes, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Japanese partners," said the 66-year-old.
Bach supports the attitude of the local organisers to completely cancel the Tokyo Games if the date cannot be met next year (July 24 to August 9). "You can't hire 3000 to 5000 people in an organizing committee forever. You can't change the complete sports calendar of all major associations every year. And you can't leave the athletes in the dark," said Bach.
Already at the end of April, Tokyo OC boss Yoshiro Mori had declared after a conversation with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that hostage in the summer of 2021 was the only option and a further postponement was not possible if the corona virus continued to pose a threat. "In that case, the games would be canceled." If the virus is contained, "the games will take place in peace in the summer of 2021. Humanity is betting on it".
Bach further told the BBC that reorganising the games was a "mammoth task". "We have a principle: to organize these games in a safe environment for all participants. Nobody knows what the world will look like in a year or even in two months," said the fencing Olympic champion from 1976: "We have to different Be prepared for scenarios. There are so many different options that it is not easy to address them now. If we have a clear view of what the world will look like on July 23, 2021, we will make the appropriate decisions. "
Bach was pleased with the resumption of play in the Bundesliga: "I hope that other sports will come back now. I hope that this is the first step. Sports, like everyone else in society, must respect the rules. But maybe we can come back slowly and loosen those restrictions in a responsible manner. "


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