One of the world's great sports-related tourist draws is steadfastly hanging on to the hope it can be held this year.
Organizers of the Tokyo Summer Olympics "categorically" denied a report that the Games will be canceled for the second straight year. And that's coming right from the top.
"Some news reports circulating today are claiming that the government of Japan has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be canceled because of the coronavirus," the International Olympic Committee said in a statement to CNN. "This is categorically untrue ... All parties involved are working together to prepare for a successful Games this summer."
The IOC refuted a report in the Times of London that the Tokyo Games, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed to this year because of the coronavirus, would be canceled again due to the continued surge of COVID-19 worldwide.
The Tokyo Olympics local organizing committee also provided a statement to CNN, saying the Games will go on.
"All our delivery partners including the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, the IOC and the IPC are fully focused on hosting the Games this summer," the statement said. "We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure Games."
Other Olympic officials also backed the IOC and local organizers.
"Unfortunately, I need to address unfounded rumors that Tokyo Games will be canceled, rumors that only create more anxiety for the athletes in our sports," Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll told reporters Friday. "The Tokyo Games are on. The flames will be lit on the 23rd of July 2021. This has been just reconfirmed again by the Japanese Prime Minister this afternoon."
In a thread on Twitter, Canadian Olympic chief David Shoemaker said his team was "unaware of any decision taken by the Japanese government as is being reported."
"The Canadian Olympic Committee has confidence that the Games can be staged safely and successfully given what has been learned in sport over the last several months and the emphasis the IOC and Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee have placed on Covid-19 countermeasures," he said. "We continue in our preparation to participate at Tokyo 2020 with a focus on the health and safety of our athletes, their families, and their communities."
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