Games to go on in spite of Covid: Mori
TOKYO • The pandemic-postponed Olympics will go ahead this summer “however the coronavirus evolves”, Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said yesterday, brushing aside doubts about the event.
Today, organisers are expected to outline further details of the extensive Covid-19 countermeasures they have devised for the 2020 Games, which were pushed back to July 23-Aug 8 this year.
Paralympics chief Andrew Parsons also revealed that he is confident the Games will take place this year, and will be “a platform to change the world” – with or without spectators.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
French Open back on golf Tour schedule
PARIS • The French Open will return to the European Tour calendar and take place from May 6-9 after being cancelled last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers said on Monday.
Continental Europe’s oldest national golf Open, first played in 1906, will have a prize fund of €1.5 million (S$2.4 million) and will be played for the 19th consecutive occasion at Le Golf National, near Paris.
The event will be the fourth tournament in a five-week stretch on European soil between the first two Major championships of the year – the Masters and PGA Championship.
REUTERS
Rio puts brakes on planned F1 circuit
RIO DE JANEIRO • Rio de Janeiro’s new mayor has scrapped previous plans, criticised by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and environmentalists, to build a new Formula One circuit in the city.
Rio’s Environment Secretary Eduardo Cavaliere said on Twitter on Monday that Mayor Eduardo Paes, who took office last month, had instructed him to archive the process to secure an environmental licence.
REUTERS