Olympics: Postponement costs not discussed, says IOC president Thomas Bach
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A January 2020 photo shows IOC president Thomas Bach at for a press conference.
PHOTO: AFP
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ATHENS (REUTERS) - The cost of postponing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021 was not discussed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday, Bach said, adding: "This is about protecting lives".
The July 24-Aug 9 event will be rescheduled for the summer of 2021 at the latest, as proof of victory over the coronavirus, the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers announced in a joint statement earlier on Tuesday, following an agreement between Bach and Abe.
But the precise dates for the new Games have not yet been determined, Bach said.
The IOC stepped up its "scenario planning" for the Tokyo 2020 Games after an emergency meeting on Sunday, when it said a decision would be made within four weeks.
"About two hours after my phone call I cannot give you a definite answer. These are the reasons why we had decided we need at least four weeks to assess all these questions... these are not the only ones," Bach added on Tuesday on a phone call with a selection of Olympic journalists.
