２１年東京五輪、夏以外も選択肢　バッハ会長「中止も検討した」

　【ロンドン時事】国際オリンピック委員会（ＩＯＣ）のバッハ会長は２５日、電話による記者会見を開き、２０２１年に延期される東京五輪の新たな日程について、「夏を含めてすべての選択肢がある」と話し、柔軟に検討する意向を示した。ＩＯＣと日本側は２４日、「１年程度延期し、遅くとも来年夏までの開催」で合意した。
　バッハ会長は、各国際競技団体と２６日に行う電話会議で、各方面への延期の影響について協議することを明らかにし、「延期は関係者の犠牲を伴う。可能な限り最高の解決策を探さなければならない」と述べた。
　また新型コロナウイルスの世界的な感染拡大に伴い、東京五輪の延期を決めるに至った過程については「（一時は）中止も検討したし、選択肢にあった」と初めて明かした。延期を選んだ理由については、「中止はどんな形でも賛同できるものではない。五輪を実施することがＩＯＣの使命であり、それが選手に出場する夢を与える」と語った。（2020/03/25-21:33）

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Wednesday suggested a possibility of the postponed Tokyo Olympics being held before summer next year.
   "The task force (on rescheduling the Tokyo Games) can consider the broader picture, and this is not restricted just to the summer months," Bach said in a media teleconference. "All the options are on the table before or during the summer 2021."
   In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the IOC and the Tokyo Games organizing committee said they agreed that the Tokyo Olympics "must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021."
   Bach revealed that the IOC will hold a teleconference with international sports federations on Thursday to discuss the effects of the postponement, which was decided in response to the global outbreak of the new coronavirus. The rescheduled Summer Olympic Games "will need sacrifices, will need compromises by all the stakeholders," he said, adding,"We have to find the best possible solution under the circumstances we are living in."
   The IOC chief also said that the games' "cancellation was discussed and considered" at one point. However, he added, "It was very clear from the beginning that cancellation should not be something the IOC would favor, because our mission is to organize Olympic Games and to make the Olympic dreams of the athletes come true."