Tokyo, Japan, Mar 12 – Olympic officials regularly lauded Tokyo as the best prepared host city they had seen. But no one could have planned for the coronavirus pandemic that has forced an unprecedented postponement of the 2020 Games.

And while organisers won praise, a plagiarism scandal, corruption charges and budget woes all clouded the horizon even before the virus outbreak threatened the Games.

Here, AFP Sport chronicles the path to postponement.

– 2013: Tears of joy –

TV news presenters burst into tears and thousands of people erupt in screams of delight as the IOC awards the Games to Tokyo in September 2013.

With emotions running high, the thoughts of many Japanese turn to the thousands of victims of a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, with the Olympics seen by some as a golden opportunity to rebuild.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vows Tokyo will be a “safe pair of hands” with a reputation for efficiency and competence.

– 2015: Stadium scrapped –

Embarrassment for Abe as he is forced to tear up blueprints for the proposed national stadium when costs balloon out of control.

“I have decided we must go back to the drawing board,” a red-faced Abe says in July 2015 after public anger over the $2 billion price tag which would have made it the world’s most expensive stadium.

– 2015: Logo dropped –

Scandal follows in September 2015 as the logo for the Games is ditched after accusations of plagiarism.

Designer Olivier Debie says the design is stolen from his logo for a Belgian theatre and threatens court action before officials withdraw the emblem, saying it “no longer has public support”.

– 2018: Cute mascots –

After the logo disaster, there is relief at the smooth rollout of futuristic mascots for the Olympics and Paralympics, chosen by schoolchildren.

Olympic mascot “Miraitowa” — combining the Japanese words for future and eternity — is a blue-checked, doe-eyed character with pointy ears, while Paralympic counterpart “Someity” sports pink checks derived from Japan’s famous cherry blossoms.

– 2018: Boxing blues –

In an precedented move, the International Olympic Committee strips troubled governing body AIBA of the right to run the boxing competition at the Games over various allegations.

There are fears the sport will not feature in the Games, but the IOC opts to organise the boxing tournament itself.

– 2019: French charges –

French investigating magistrates in January 2019 charge the former head of Japan’s Olympic Committee, Tsunekazu Takeda, as they probe two payments totalling $2.3 million made before and after the Japanese capital was chosen.

Takeda says he was “never involved” in any decision-making process over the payment and protests his innocence but he steps down as head of Japan’s Olympic Committee.

– 2019: Marathon move –

After warnings against holding the marathon in the middle of Tokyo’s sweltering summer, the IOC springs a surprise in October 2019 by shifting the flagship race to Sapporo, 800 kilometres to the north — and usually cooler in August.

Tokyo 2020 organisers are livid, but city governor Yuriko Koike says she has no choice but to accept the decision.

– 2019: Budget blowout –

Organisers unveil the final version of their budget in December, with the Games expected to cost $12.6 billion, although Tokyo 2020 and the IOC are still wrangling over the cost of moving the marathon.

An audit suggests the national government’s part of the overall bill, which is supposed to be 150 billion yen, is actually nearly 10 times that. Organisers say auditors are counting expenses only tangentially related to the running of the Games.

– 2019: Russian ban –

Russia’s participation in the Games is thrown into question in December, when anti-doping agency WADA bans the country’s athletes for four years from global events including the Olympics over manipulated doping data. Russia vows to appeal, but a hearing in March 2020 is postponed as the new coronavirus spreads globally.

– 2020: Cancellation ‘unthinkable’ –

By late March, the coronavirus outbreak has been declared a pandemic causing more than 325,000 infections and over 14,400 deaths.

With pressure growing for organisers to acknowledge the Games may be hit, Tokyo governor Koike calls cancellation “unthinkable”. But the IOC and Japanese officials gradually begin to concede a delay may now be on the cards.

– 2020: Historic postponement –

The IOC and Japan eventually bow to the inevitable and postpone the Olympics in a historic decision.

Less than a week later, organisers announce the new date for the opening ceremony: July 23, 2021.

(Visited 31 times, 2 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Postponed Olympics to open July 23, 2021

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Stakeholders want urgent resolve to FKF election impassern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdownrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be championsrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Villa’s Grealish ‘pictured at crash site’ after virus plearn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroudrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Juventus shares surge after players’ take pay cutrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Stakeholders want urgent resolve to FKF election impasse

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdown

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be champions

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Villa’s Grealish ‘pictured at crash site’ after virus plea

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroud

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Juventus shares surge after players’ take pay cut

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Mercedes, F1 make breathing aids to help coronavirus fight

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Paulinho among footballers stranded by China’s lock-out

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Celtics guard Smart ‘corona-free’, 10 days after positive test

rn rn rn Basketballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Scrap season if it can’t be finished by end of June- Kane

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Stakeholders want urgent resolve to FKF election impassern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdownrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be championsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Villa’s Grealish ‘pictured at crash site’ after virus plearn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroudrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Stakeholders want urgent resolve to FKF election impassern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdownrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be championsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Villa’s Grealish ‘pictured at crash site’ after virus plearn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroudrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 30th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */