As many athletes and fans wonder about the future of the Tokyo Olympics, a Brock University professor says cancelling the games is not necessarily as easy as it may appear.
Sport Management Assistant Professor Michael Naraine says if the Tokyo organizers decided to outright cancel the games, the International Olympic Committee could sue them for backing out of their contractual obligation.
He says the IOC has two key concerns: their deals with corporate sponsors and broadcasters, and the time crunch another delay would cause.
If the games are delayed until 2022, there would be two Olympic Games in one year, which hasn't happened since 1992.
Given the current health concerns due to the ongoing pandemic, Naraine believes the IOC may be considering splitting the games in half.
One group of athletes would compete and then leave, and then a second group of athletes would be brought in to finish the event.
The Tokyo Olympic Summer Games are scheduled for July 24th - August 9th.