# Increasingly likely that the Tokyo Olympics will be postponed to 2021 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [March 19, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813 "2020-03-19T16:22:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/21 "2020-03-22T07:54:03Z")
I have no idea what’s going to happen, but I wish the media would realize that moving an Olympiad isn’t just as easy as moving a wedding. These things take years to plan. If the hotel industry gets walloped in Japan badly, those hotel rooms may not be there in 2021 to rent out. Even if the buildings still exist under new management, Tokyo prices aren’t cheap and a massive recession may deter travel. The infrastructure that was built is a sunk cost but Tokyo may not want to undergo the massive cost of actually staging the games in the middle of a global depression. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/22 "2020-03-22T15:27:01Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > One thing that I’ve heard is that they planned on turning the athlete’s village accommodations into condos after the games, and they’ve already been sold. So if the games get delayed by six months or a year or whatever, what happens there? contracts might have an out for the sale if the games are delayed. I would be surprised if they did not have that in the sales contracts ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/23 "2020-03-22T21:02:39Z")
IOC wants decision in 4 weeks. [IOC sets four-week deadline on Games decision](https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/28939429/ioc-sets-four-week-deadline-games-decision) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/24 "2020-03-23T02:25:10Z")
Canada has pulled out its athletes. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/25 "2020-03-23T02:48:35Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Canada has pulled out its athletes. Yeah, [Tokyo 2021](https://www.tsn.ca/canada-won-t-send-team-to-tokyo-olympics-unless-games-are-postponed-1.1459614) or bust at this point for Canada. I imagine others will follow suit. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/26 "2020-03-23T03:19:43Z")
I would imagine most people who bought tickets charged them on a charge card. Who uses checks any more. Many charge card agreements do not permit a charge to mbe made before the merchandise is shipped. So if tickets have not been mailed you might (at least US citizens) be able to cancel the transaction. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/27 "2020-03-23T03:27:45Z")
Imagine if the games go on without Canada’s involvement if somehow the coronavirus goes away within the month. They’d have to start their own Olympic games then like the American 1980 Liberty Bell Classic and the Soviet 1984 Friendship Games. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/28 "2020-03-23T03:47:48Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > I would imagine most people who bought tickets charged them on a charge card. Who uses checks any more. Many charge card agreements do not permit a charge to mbe made before the merchandise is shipped. So if tickets have not been mailed you might (at least US citizens) be able to cancel the transaction. Lots of holes that are probably better in GQ, tickets are usually a separate item in the credit card agreement. Plus, it’s a foreign transaction which will have different rules. I assume this is an opening shot by a relatively minor summer Olympic country to tell the IOC that yes, it’s a major PITA to postpone for a year, but getting started tomorrow is easier than waiting another month. I can also see FIFA using this to get out of the disastrous Qatar World Cup, the bribes have been paid, checks cashed, and no one wants a winter cup in a hell like Qatar ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/29 "2020-03-23T10:51:58Z")
They are at least considering it: > **[Coronavirus: Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizers have reportedly begun planning...](https://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/coronavirus-tokyo-2020-olympics-organizers-have-reportedly-begun-planning-for-potential-delay/)** > > The IOC says a decision will be made in the next four weeks Brian ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/30 "2020-03-23T12:03:26Z")
It will get postponed, barring a miraculous turnaround in the virus. I’m convinced there will be no baseball season and I’m real doubtful about football. 2020 will go down as the year without sports. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/31 "2020-03-23T12:09:51Z")
I just heard that Australia has told its athletes to assume a 2021 Olympiad. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/32 "2020-03-23T18:24:05Z")
If colleges stay closed for in person classes in the fall then they can’t have college sports. But I would not want to be in Alabama when they announced no FB. They did skip a season for WW 2 but only 1943. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/33 "2020-03-23T20:07:57Z")
IOC member says the games will be next year > **[Pound says Games to be in '21; IOC responds](https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/28943572/dick-pound-says-olympics-postponed-21-ioc-responds)** > > The IOC said every member has "the right ... to interpret" its decision to take four weeks to evaluation options for the Tokyo Olympics, after member Dick Pound said the Games will be postponed to 2021. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/34 "2020-03-23T20:57:28Z")
Once whole countries said they wouldn’t go in 2020, that’s all she wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/35 "2020-03-24T01:00:55Z")
Yep, looks to be official now. [https://sydneynews.sydney/sydney-news/tokyo-olympics-games-2021-games-postponed-1-year/6784/?fbclid=IwAR0mv8aUdKVPeEJzNo7pE5hSCgyNt6Cq-xgbTHKNJgwkOag8dPCafjYNlV8](https://sydneynews.sydney/sydney-news/tokyo-olympics-games-2021-games-postponed-1-year/6784/?fbclid=IwAR0mv8aUdKVPeEJzNo7pE5hSCgyNt6Cq-xgbTHKNJgwkOag8dPCafjYNlV8) ---
**Author:** ![AmyPang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@AmyPang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmyPang)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/36 "2020-03-24T06:05:07Z")
We are experiencing a pathetic situation globally. I heard that the final decisions regarding Olympic would be declaring withing the coming 4 weeks. It’s better to be safe than sorry…All we have to be alive to take part in any occasion. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/37 "2020-03-24T13:03:23Z")
[It’s official.](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/sport/olympics-postponement-tokyo-2020-spt-intl/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/38 "2020-03-24T14:47:30Z")
It’s a little late but the only choice. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/39 "2020-03-24T17:43:18Z")
This is obviously the biggest story in the sports world at the moment, but [ESPN.com](http://ESPN.com)’s top headline is Mel Kiper’s mock NFL draft. The Olympics postponement is only briefly mentioned in very small type further down the page. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813/40 "2020-03-25T15:14:58Z")
they only sold 25% of the condos that were built for athletes for the games. > **[IOC's Bach invokes Trump in Olympic decision](https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/28952337/ioc-president-thomas-bach-invokes-trump-defense-olympic-decision)** > > IOC president Thomas Bach invoked the name of President Donald Trump in defending the time it took to postpone the Tokyo Games until 2021. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increasingly-likely-that-the-tokyo-olympics-will-be-postponed-to-2021/849813.md?page=3)