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Athletes, fans cautiously optimistic that Olympics will go on in 2021

COVID-19 pandemic postponed Summer Olympics

DETROIT – We’re one year out to the Summer Olympics -- again.

It is unprecedented, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are now scheduled for summer 2021 because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Athletes, fans and the world are cautiously optimistic that the games will be able to go on in 2021.

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“It’s hard to sit here and think that we’ll have something as grand as the scale that you get with the Olympic games one year from now with the realities that we’re dealing with, NC Olympics host Mike Tirico said. “This week we see Major League Baseball starting, the NBA is getting going in their bubble in Orlando the NHL is coming back on NBC here in a week or so. So, for sports fans there’s hope and optimism.”

But COVID-19 continues to threaten that optimism. This week, a warning, if infections continue at these levels for 12 months the games would likely not be able to continue.

“Nothing gathers the worlds different cultures and regions and races and countries like the Olympic games. So, you look forward to that every four years and every four years winter or summer games -- but especially after what we have been through and are going through. I think we’re all looking forward to that happening with great hope, great optimism, for sure,” Tirico said.

READ: Benched: NBC’s Mike Tirico talks Olympics postponement, and when sports might return