Tokyo: The head of Japan's medical association said it will be difficult to hold the Olympics without coronavirus vaccines, and that he hoped effective vaccines or drugs to treat COVID-19 will be developed quickly.
"In my view, it would be difficult to hold the Olympics unless effective vaccines are developed," Japan Medical Association President Yoshitake Yokokura told a video press conference Tuesday in Tokyo. "I hope vaccines and drugs will be developed as soon as possible."
Japan and the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games until July next year due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
Yokokura said that the Games are possible only if the infections are under control not only in Japan but globally, but did not say whether he opposes the Olympics taking place without vaccines.
Hours later, Yoshiro Mori, the Olympics' Organising Committee's President said that the postponed 2020 Tokyo Games will be cancelled if the coronavirus is not brought under control by next year.
Mori was asked whether the Games will be postponed to 2022 if COVID-19 is still running rampant next year.
To this question, Mori said that there is no chance of the games being postponed yet again.
"No, in that case, it is cancelled," Mori said in an interview to a Japanese sports daily.
Earlier this year, the Tokyo Olympics was postponed for the first time in the known history. The Games were cancelled in the past, but it was never delayed.
The decision was taken as coronavirus had put almost every nation under lockdown.
