Tokyo Olympics Organizers Weigh Whether To Hold Opening Ceremony - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) Seiko Hashimoto, the chief of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, said that Japan is in talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on whether to hold the Games' opening ceremony or not in the wake of recent scandals, the Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday.

"We are in discussions with the IOC on this issue, but we would like to hold an opening ceremony," Hashimoto said, as quoted by the Kyodo news agency.

The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics is due on July 23.

A maximum of 950 guests will attend the event held under a state of COVID-19 emergency.

Earlier on Thursday, the director of the Tokyo Games opening and closing ceremonies was dismissed over past Holocaust jokes. Kentaro Kobayashi came under fire over his use of the phrase "Let's play Holocaust" in a 1998 comedy show. The scandal came a few days Tokyo Olympics composer Keigo Oyamada resigned following public criticism for bullying children with disabilities in the past.