This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
Published on April 23, 2020, Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers are facing mounting pressure to reconsider the Games' schedule.
Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori has warned that the Olympics cannot be delayed beyond the year-long postponement already forced by the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking to Kyodo News, Mori stated that there is 'absolutely no' chance of postponing the Games beyond their rescheduled opening on July 23, 2021.
According to Mori, the organising committee had earlier considered a two-year postponement but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided that a one-year delay was the best option.
Under heavy pressure from athletes and sports associations, Japanese organisers and the International Olympic Committee agreed to a year-long postponement of the Games in March.
However, questions have arisen about whether even a year's postponement is sufficient, with some experts warning that the postponed Olympics may not be feasible in 2021.
Japanese expert Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, expressed his 'very pessimistic' views on the Games' chances of success.
"To be honest with you, I don't think the Olympics is likely to be held next year," Iwata said.
