The National Stadium, the main stadium of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, is seen from an observation desk in Tokyo, Japan, on July 20, 2020. (Photo: REUTERS/Issei Kato)

John Coates confirmed to news agency AFP that the Olympics would start on 23 July next year, calling them the "Games that conquered Covid". They were originally scheduled to start in July 2020, but were postponed due to Covid-19 fears. The IOC had earlier said they would not delay the Games beyond 2021.