Skip to main content
U.K. Edition
Thursday, 28 March 2024

'It was very hard to take', says Bach over Tokyo Games postponement

Duration: 06:20s 0 shares 1 views

'It was very hard to take', says Bach over Tokyo Games postponement
'It was very hard to take', says Bach over Tokyo Games postponement

IOC President Thomas Bach admits that "it was hard to take" having to postpone the Tokyo Olympics, and says they need more time to consider when it will eventually take place.

SHOWS: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (MARCH 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

IOC PRESIDENT, THOMAS BACH WALKING DOWN STAIRS INTO FOYER IN OLYMPIC HOUSE AND GREETING REUTERS JOURNALISTS 2.

WHITE FLASH 3.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, TALKING ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENT, SAYING: "It was very hard to take because first of all, we had to consider the dreams of the Olympic athletes which we wanted to make coming true.

On the other hand, we were feeling there were many people around this globe whose lives is affected in a very difficult way and where you could hardly then have Olympic Games in this atmosphere and then, given the latest worldwide dramatic developments in the spreading of the virus, there we did not see the opportunity any more to organise the Olympic Games which safeguard the health of every participant." 4.

WHITE FLASH 5.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, TALKING ABOUT WHEN THE GAMES WOULD NOW BE HELD, SAYING: "This is a very difficult task, because there are so many issues to be considered.

The sports, the calendar of 33 international federations are affected directly.

The sports calendar overall is affected indirectly.

We have to take into consideration also the logistics, that means when and how can the organising committee provide the venues, the Olympic village, and many other issues more, so now I think we need there some time to take the right decision in the interest of everybody." 6.

WHITE FLASH 7.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, TALKING FURTHER ABOUT WHEN THE GAMES WOULD BE HELD, SAYING: "We are in close contact with the international federations.

Already yesterday, they have been contacted, we will have another call tomorrow, because they will in effect, will have to look into their calendar, and then make us a recommendation, and they are also considering the competition and training periods, so we are at a very early stage, I'm really sorry that I cannot give you a final answer yet." 8.

WHITE FLASH 9.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, TALKING ABOUT PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS, SAYING: "Now this is three years later, and Paris is going ahead as planned." 10.

WHITE FLASH 11.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, TALKING ABOUT THE MAKING THE DECISION TO POSTPONE, SAYING: "We had different reactions from athletes.

Ones were very critical, others were very supportive.

In fact, we had a call with 220 athletes representatives from all over the world, and not a single one there asked for the cancellation of the Games.

We have always been in contact with our athletes' commission, I have addressed letters to the athletes so there was an exchange, but in this unprecedented crisis for humanity, I think it's normal that there are pros and cons and different opinions." 12.

WHITE FLASH 13.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, TALKING FURTHER ABOUT THE REARRANGEMENTS, SAYING: "Again, this is too early, this is why we have established this task force which, by the way, gave itself the very nice name "Here We Go", and this is what we are doing to prepare the best possible Games under these extremely difficult circumstances and in a case for which there is no blueprint, it's the first time in Olympic history that we have to address such a postponement, so give us a little bit of time, please." 14.

WHITE FLASH 15.

IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH DEPARTING 16.

EXTERIOR VIEWS OF THE IOC HEADQUARTERS (13 SHOTS) STORY: "It was very hard to take," IOC chief Thomas Bach said at their headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Wednesday (March 25) after agreeing to the first postponement in the Olympic Games 124-year history because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our mission is to organise Games and make dreams of athletes come true," Bach said, adding that although the rescheduled Olympics must be held before the end of Summer 2021, the as-yet-undecided dates would not necessarily be restricted to summer months.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government finally succumbed to intense pressure from athletes and sporting bodies as the coronavirus spread around the world when they agreed on Tuesday (March 24) to put back the Games until 2021.

It was a huge blow to Japan, which has invested $12 billion in preparations, but also for the prestige of the Olympic movement and Bach himself, who had come under fire for not reacting sooner in the face of the global health crisis.

An IOC coordination commission, that has been overseeing preparations, will now work towards determining a new date for next year amid a chaotic sports calendar, severely disrupted by the virus.

(Production: Cecile Mantovani, Tim Hart, Mike Brock)

You might like

Related news coverage

Advertisement

More coverage