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Tokyo, June 16 (IANS) The Tokyo Olympics should be postponed once more if it is not possible to be held from July 23, 2021, an executive board member of the Games committee has said. This is the first time any official has spoken about a second postponement.
Haruyuki Takahashi is quotes as saying by Japanese newspaper Nikkan Sports that the organisers must "avoid cancellation."
"If it is cancelled, Japan and the world economy will be severely hit," he said. Takahashi said that if it is difficult to hold the Olympics next July or August, the International Olympic Committee should consider postponing it again.
"The main priority is to make a united effort to hold them (Olympics) in the summer of 2021," Takahashi said. "If that is not possible we should start action once again to get another delay," he said.
The one-year delay is estimated to cost $2 billion to $6 billion, most of which will fall to Japanese taxpayers.
IOC President Thomas Bach and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee President Yoshiro Mori have both repeatedly ruled out postponing the Games again if it is not possible to be held on the new dates that were decided upon in March.
Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said on Friday that 80 per cent of the competition venues have been secured for the rescheduled Olympic Games in 2021.
Muto told reporters that those secured venues include the new National Stadium and that negotiations are ongoing to secure other facilities.
--IANS
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