IOC hopes health plans will sway opinion with Games 100 days away
14 Apr 2021 - 12:20
A passerby wearing a protective face mask walks past a screen showing a countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Tokyo, Japan, April 14, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato
Reuters
While most Japanese residents remain opposed to the Tokyo Games going ahead in 100 days' time, the International Olympic Committee hopes the mood will shift when people realise how much emphasis has been placed on minimizing the risk of COVID-19 infections.
John Coates, the IOC's chief coordinator for Tokyo, also said stories of Japan's sporting success, such as Hideki Matsuyama's Masters triumph on Sunday, would boost support for the Games, which were postponed by a year due to the pandemic.