Tokyo 2020 spectators not a ‘must-have’ and ‘it’s either 2021 or nothing’, says IOC’s Dick Pound
- ‘It’s better to have the games, even if there are no spectators, than it would be to cancel them’ the Canadian said
- Pound says Japanese authorities could explain updates ‘a little more fully’ as public pressure continues to mount
Veteran International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound on Wednesday reaffirmed his belief the Tokyo Games will happen this summer despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, saying the Olympics can go ahead without fans in attendance.
“The question is, is this a ‘must-have’ or ‘nice-to-have.’ It’s nice to have spectators. But it’s not a must-have,” Pound said.
“Nobody can guarantee [that the Olympics will go ahead as planned]. But I think there’s a very, very, good chance that they can, and that they will,” he said.
According to Pound, a former swimmer who has been an IOC member since 1978, there are six or seven scenarios under consideration concerning spectators, with one being that only Japanese residents will be permitted to attend events.
“It’s certainly one option ... In the end, the decision will be based on risk. And the bottom line, they say, is that it’s better to have the games, even if there are no spectators, than it would be to cancel them because there are no spectators,” the 78-year-old Canadian said.