Biden says decision on Tokyo Olympics should be based on science
09 February, 2021
Any decision about holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Video games, postponed by a year as a result of coronavirus pandemic, must be predicated on science, U.S. President Joe Biden told a radio show.
The Games are set to start in under six months, and Japan government and International Olympic Committee (IOC) are vowing to carry them as planned, although under strict conditions that could include staging them without spectators.
Biden, speaking on a Westwood One Activities radio program broadcast about Sunday during halftime of the Super Bowl, said he hoped the Game titles would take place, mainly with regard to the athletes who've trained so difficult for them.
"I've spoken with the prime minister of Japan, he's working very difficult to be found in a position to safely open up the Games, to have the Games, and I feel that has to get based on science, whether it is safe for that that occurs," Biden said.
Biden, who took business office in January, said he hated to think about the athletes not having the ability to compete.
"Imagine those Olympians who do the job for four years, several years for just one shot and suddenly that opportunity gets lost," he explained.
"They are the persons that I feel such soreness for - but we need to do it based on the technology," he added. "We are a science-powered administration, I think all of those other world's there too. I hope we can play, I hope it is possible, nonetheless, it remains to be observed."
The Olympics are set to open on July 23 and run until Aug 8.
Source: japantoday.com