AP PHOTOS: Postponed Tokyo Olympics to open in just 6 months
Jan 22, 2021
TOKYO (AP) — The postponed Tokyo Olympics are due to open in just six months. Local organizers and the International Olympic Committee say they will go ahead on July 23. But it’s still unclear how this will happen with virus cases surging in Tokyo and elsewhere around the globe.
Venues around Tokyo are mostly shuttered and quiet, and may remain that way for a few months until local organizers give more explicit details about exactly how they will pull off the games during a pandemic. More details are expected early in the spring when the torch relay begins from northern Japan. That event is set for March 25 and involves 10,000 runners headed to Tokyo over four months. It’s hard to imagine the torch relay starting if the Olympics were not to follow.
The Olympics are enormous, the numbers staggering. They involve 11,000 athletes, and the Paralympics add another 4,400. The athletes represent 206 nations or territories. In addition, tens of thousands of others are involved, including coaches, judges, administrators, media and broadcasters.
It’s still unclear if fans will be allowed in venues, and increasingly doubtful that fans from abroad will be allowed to enter Japan.
Recent polls show about 80% of the Japanese public think the Olympics should be canceled, or postponed again. The International Olympic Committee has said they will not be postponed again and will be canceled if they cannot be held.
The Olympics have been canceled five times — all in wartime. The 1916, 1940 and 1944 Summer Olympics were canceled, as were the 1940 and 1944 Winter Olympics.
IOC member Richard Pound said in a recent interview that fans were not needed to hold the Olympics. The key for the IOC is getting the event on television. The IOC earns almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights. If Tokyo is canceled, estimates suggest it could cost the IOC $2 billion to $3 billion in lost revenue from broadcasters.
More News
Travis Kelce Exits Kansas City Chiefs Game With Ankle Injury
Travis Kelce is taking some bench time. The Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end exited the team’s Nov. 15 match up against the Atlanta Falcons after his very first catch of the game, suffering an...
Rihanna Reacts to EJ Johnson Feud Rumors Following Viral Comment
Rihanna is setting the record straight on those EJ Johnson feud rumors. Back in September, EJ, 34, publicly called out […] The post Rihanna Reacts to EJ Johnson Feud Rumors Following Viral Comment appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News, Entertainment News & Photos.
Kevin Feige Felt Bringing X-Men Into ‘Avengers’ Franchise Was “Fun Way” To Celebrate 25 Years
As Avengers: Doomsday assembles into theaters next month, Kevin Feige is celebrating more than 25 years of Marvel’s cinematic journey. The Marvel Studios president, who was also an associate producer on 2000’s X-Men, recently explained that it “just felt right” to bring the mutant superherhoes of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters into the MCU with […]
Phil Collins Says He’s a ‘Well Man’ Now and Hints at the ‘Possibility of Doing Some Shows’ Amid Health Battle: ‘You Haven’t Heard the Last of Me’
Phil Collins made a rare public appearance to accept his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday, where he addressed his health, calling himself “a well man now.” “Thank you so much. Thank you. I’m really not as bad as it looks. I’m much better,” […]
Billy Evans Says He’d Do It All Over Again
Speaking with CBS News, Elizabeth Holmes’s partner said that despite the shower scene and other regrets, he would “100 percent” make “You Can See Everything” once more.
Box Office: Domestic Ticket Sales Up 20% From Last Year as Hollywood Awaits ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel, ‘Dune 3’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
It’s been a triumphant year for movie theater owners, who are basking in the long-awaited box office rebound. Domestic ticket sales are already 20% above the same point in 2025, and that’s before a “Hunger Games” prequel, a third “Dune” and another “Avengers” installment hit the big screen. With revenues at $8.76 billion through Nov. […]
Baby2Baby Gala 2026: See Every Celebrity in Attendance!
Tons of stars are stepping out for Baby2Baby’s big event! Ciara, Kerry Washington, Jessica Alba, Keke Palmer, Andrew Garfield, and […] The post Baby2Baby Gala 2026: See Every Celebrity in Attendance! appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News, Entertainment News & Photos.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony Gets Fired Up With Live-Wire Numbers From U2, the Chili Peppers, Usher, Cynthia Erivo, Sienna Spiro, Aerosmith and More
You could feel it in the air that night, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, held Saturday at L.A. Peacock Theatre and filmed for a December ABC special. The show’s producers would relish, as always, the thought of having younger artists salute their elders, or bringing together some powerhouse teamings, coming […]
Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ Lyrics & Meaning Explained as Song Returns to Billboard Charts in 2026
Wham! is already making a big comeback on the charts as Christmas music takes over once again! The duo’s beloved […] The post Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ Lyrics & Meaning Explained as Song Returns to Billboard Charts in 2026 appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News, Entertainment News & Photos.
Mormon Wives' Salomé Andrea Claps Back at Rumors Her Husband Cheated
Salomé Andrea is setting the record straight. After the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County star shared insight into her marital issues with husband Aaron Brimhall on the Hulu series, she...
Charlotte Church closes wellness retreat after five 'beautiful' years
Church previously said she blew "pretty much all my life savings" on the £1.5m home.
Elizabeth Holmes' partner sounds off on Amanda Seyfried's portrayal of tech founder
Elizabeth Holmes' partner sounds off on Amanda Seyfried's portrayal of tech founderAmanda Seyfried played the infamous Elizabeth Holmes in the show The Dropout and the documentary You Can See Everything.However, Holmes's partner, Billy Evans, appears not to have been a fan of the actress's...