Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics will have to be canceled if they're unable to be held in 2021. Since mid-March, a number of businesses and events have taken to temporarily closing their doors and postponing upcoming dates while stay-at-home orders have been implemented. Although these orders are currently in the process of lifting in some states, and some businesses are already in the reopening process, others are facing a more difficult decision when it comes to starting back up again. In particular, the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed to 2021 back in March, may end up being canceled altogether if a COVID-19 vaccine is not available by next year.
According to BBC Sports, the International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, says he "understands why the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games would have to be canceled if it cannot take place next summer." He went on to explain that they "cannot forever employ 3,000 to 5,000 people in an organizing committee," and they can't "have the athletes being in uncertainty." He also revealed that "re-organizing the Games was a mammoth task," and warned that the event would "definitely be different" focusing on "essentials."
Bach hopes that the postponed Games send "a message of solidarity among the entire world, coming for the first time together again, and celebrating the triumph over coronavirus." However, he also added that there's no blueprint on how to safely start up again, so they "have to reinvent the wheel day by day." This cautious approach certainly makes sense. It's an approach that's also being taken by a number of other event organizers and business owners as they start to reopen. Since the virus continues to spread around the globe, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Source: BBC Sports