New dates for Tokyo Olympics likely to be announced 'this week': Organisers

New dates for the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics are expected to be revealed this week, Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori said while adding that the organizing committee is weighing on the pros and cons of summer and spring Games.

The COVID-19 pandemic had forced the landmark decision to delay the Tokyo Olympics until next year with the sporting calendar for the year 2020 completely left shattered by the dreaded virus. With the historic decision to delay the Olympics by a year continues to settle down, the new dates of the Games will be announced soon with Mori expecting a decision from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) soon.

"I think perhaps there will be some kind of communication from (IOC) President (Thomas) Bach this week," Mori told reporters on Monday.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were earlier scheduled to start on July 24 and run for 16 days but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the first peace-time postponement of the quadrennial event. While the IOC and Japan were optimistic that the show could go on but the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus had brought out heavy criticism from athletes and sporting federations and hence, the Games were delayed by a year.

The likely date to begin the Games will be July 23, 2021, as per pubic broadcaster NHK as it cited sources within the organizing panel.

According to reports, the Games were due to cost $12.6 billion, shared between the organising committee, the government of Japan and Tokyo city. But the postponement affects every aspect be it logistics, hotels, ticketing, venues.

However, the Tokyo Olympics are being touted as the victory of humanity over the COVID-19.

"We are embarking on an unprecedented challenge," said Mori while adding, "but I believe it is the mission of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee to hold the Olympics and Paralympics next year as a proof of mankind's victory" against the virus.