Olympics 2021: Is it Tokyo 2020 or 2021?

Tokyo 2020: Mills and Sbihi proud to be Team GB flagbearers

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The Olympics are finally going ahead in Tokyo after being mired by cancellations and controversies over the past 18 months. The coronavirus pandemic means the original games in 2020 were cancelled. But Japan has decided to press ahead with the games this year despite calls to abandon the games from various camps.

There will be no spectators at this year’s event as Japan deals with more outbreaks of Covid-19 across the country.

Several athletes have tested positive for the virus since arriving, with the current number of positive cases in the Olympic camp coming in at 11.

The new stadium, built on the same site as the one used for the 1964 Games, will be nearly empty, with only around 950 people, mostly officials and journalists, watching in the stands.

It is also predicted to be the hottest Olympic Games ever, with temperatures set to remain over 30C for the coming week.

What’s more, forecasters have predicted a typhoon could hit the area on Monday next week, just as the games are getting underway.

On Thursday, the opening ceremony director was fired after comments he made about the Holocaust in a 1990s comedy sketch resurfaced and sparked a public outcry.

Days earlier, the ceremony’s composer stepped down after comments he made in interviews in the 1990s about abusing and bullying classmates were circulated on social media.

And former Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori was forced to quit early this year after he made sexist comments about women talking too much.

Is it Tokyo 2020 or Tokyo 2021?

Despite taking place in 2021, this year’s Olympic Games are called Tokyo 2020.

Tokyo reported 1,359 COVID-19 cases on Friday, part of a wave of infection in the capital which has, unfortunately, come very close to the games.

The infections are the highest level since January 2021.

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Will Team GB do well?

This is difficult to say in a Covid-mired sporting world, and no medal goal has been set for the team of 376 athletes.

Chef de mission Mark England said: “We haven’t put a target on it and we won’t.

“Competition data in terms of where we stand against our main competitors across the world really isn’t there.”

However, it is believed another top five finish is the aim, with Team GB finishing fourth in 2008, third in 2012 and second in 2016.

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