Can you explain the main reasons which led to the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and who made the decision?

Thomas Bach: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) could see the developments with the spreading of coronavirus and we always communicated that we were monitoring the situation.

We could see the progress being made in Japan to fight the virus, but we could also see, on the other side, that the virus was spreading so rapidly that it became more and more a question whether the world could travel to Japan. And whether Japan could afford, in the spirit of containing the virus, to really invite the world in.

Japan was very confident to go ahead, and then we saw last Sunday, in the morning, the figures from Africa, in particular, at the beginning on an outbreak, and we saw there the dynamic development in South America and in USA and other countries.

This was the moment, on Sunday morning, we called an emergency meeting of the IOC executive board, with the aim to open a discussion with our Japanese hosts, partners and friends. To start opening the discussion about the postponement of the Games, we could not manage such a postponement without the Organising Committee and full cooperation of Japan.

I called Mori Yoshiro, the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, and he was in contact with Prime Minister Abe (Shinzo). The result was that Japan was ready to enter into a discussion about the different scenarios.

We had an executive board meeting on Sunday afternoon and opened the doors to postponement. Hours after, alarming information was coming in. We saw more and more travel restrictions. We also heard that the virus was starting to spread on a number of islands in Oceania.

Then on Monday morning, we received a declaration from WHO (World Heath Organisation), which was pretty alarming, where Director General said that the situation is spreading and accelerating.

This led us to contact the Organising Committee again and advise them that in phonecall on Tuesday, between Prime Minister Abe and me, in light of these developments, we would like to propose to take a decision on the postponements of the Games in this phonecall.

As a result, Prime Minister Abe himself, in his introductory mark, suggested postponement. After consultation, we came to the conclusion that this must be a joint decision because in order to organise successful Games we need to be in full agreements and united. This was the sequence of our decision meeting.

The significance of these Games can be very important. We all hope, this is what we are working for, that these Olympic Games, celebrated in 2021, can be a celebration of humankind after having overcome this unpresented challenge of coronavirus.

And that then indeed, these Olympic Games, and the Olympic flame, can be a light at the end of these very dark tunnel that all humankind is going through at this moment.

Can you tell us the potential timing of the Olympic Games next year, and what consideration is going into timing?

That is a very challenging question. We have, following the agreement with Prime Minister Abe, asked for their coordination, together with Organising Committee, to study this question in detail. They have now formed a task force called Here We Go.

We have to also take into account the sports calendar around the Olympic Games, and many, many other issues. I think we should come to a solution as soon as possible. The first priority should be able to take the input of all the stakeholders into account.

Is there a chance the Games could happen before summer? What if this time next year the pandemic is still ongoing?

The agreement is that we want to organise this Olympic Games at the latest in summer 2021. That means that this task force can consider the broader picture. This is not restricted just to the summer months. All the options are on the table, before or including the summer 2021.

On the second question, we have established this principle, which we have always been following. We want and we will organise a Games, only in a safe environment for all the participants. This commitment will not change, and this principle will guide us in all the decisions we are taking, as it has guided us in all the decisions that we have been taking in the recent past.

Postponing the Games will come with a lot of challenges. One of the issues is the Olympic Village, the apartments are going to be sold with people moving in from 2023. Is the Olympic Village being guaranteed?

I cannot tell you, this is one of the questions that the task force will have to address. We hope of course and we will do whatever we can that there is an Olympic Village. The heart of the Games is usually beating in the village.

We are at an unprecedented situation and unprecedented challenge. I guess, these postponed Olympic Games will need sacrifices, and compromises by all stakeholders. We have to find the best possible solutions under the circumstances we are living in.

I would be very, very delighted if we could have an Olympic Village in the traditional form. Everyone who has once lived in Olympic Village knows it’s the real experience, a once in a lifetime.

This is like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Every piece has to fit. If you take out once piece, the puzzle is destroyed.

I do not envy the members of this task force in their work. Having seen the dedication of the Organising Committee who made Tokyo the best prepared Olympic city ever, and knowing the professionalism, I am really confident we can also master this first ever challenge.

The Olympic Games have never been postponed before. We have no blueprint for this. But we are confident we can put a beautiful jigsaw puzzle together and have a wonderful Olympic Games.

Did the voices of athletes’ came into your consideration?

The athletes’ voice we have always taken into consideration. They play an important role. We are in constant contact with the chair of athletes’ commission; they are part of IOC board and take part in all decisions.

Do you regret being so adamant to go ahead?

No, because this was the commitment to our Japanese partners. The focus was shifting. We could have decided cancellation on our own, but for postponement, we needed the commitment of our Japanese partners.

The IOC have the ability to cancel. Was it ever discussed as an option?

Of course, cancellation was discussed and considered like all the actions on the table.

It was very clear from the beginning that cancellation would not be something that the IOC would favour because our mission is to organise and make Olympic dreams come true.

The International Federations depend on Olympic money to survive. Are they going to survive without Olympic money in the next few months? Do you plan to help them?

I did not discuss this topic with Prime Minister Abe. At this moment, it is about organising and committing to the organisation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The principle and the criterion are to safeguard the health of the athletes and everybody involved and to contribute to the containment of the virus.

Every other particular interest of anybody else should come after that. This is about human lives and the health of human beings.

What about the sponsorship deals?

We have contacted all the sponsors and what we can see is we have their full support for this decision. We will now work to implement it.

These Games are still called 2020. For me, it’s a logical consequence that the sponsors of the Olympic Games 2020 keep their rights, even if they are organised in 2021.