Athletics head keeps 'cast-iron' Olympic hope

The head of World Athletics Sebastian Coe, said there is a "cast-iron determination" to deliver the Tokyo Olympics, due to begin in just six months time. That comes as Japan has been denying reports on Friday (January 22) in Britain's Times newspaper that it wants to cancel the Olympics becasue of fears over public health. Speaking to Reuters, Coe moved to reassure fans and Japanese locals. “So, look at this moment there is an absolute cast-iron determination to deliver the Games but to deliver them in a safe and secure environment with a rigorous, a rigorous focus on the protocols, the COVID protocols around athletes, around media, around volunteers, around coaches. This is a challenge." The Olympics were postponed from the summer of 2020, but Coe said two big differences almost a year on left him confident they would go ahead with the games beginning on July 23. “We do have the vaccine and the vaccine is being rolled out and over the next few months it will increase in its availability and at this moment the athletes are also having greater access both to training and competitions.” Coe is himself a double-Olympic champion over 1500m and led the successful delivery of the London 2012 games, did concede these Olympics might have fewer spectators, or even none at all, and that competitors would spend less time in Tokyo and have to maintain social distancing.