It is usually the absolute highlight of an athlete's career: the Olympic Games. These are scheduled to take place in Tokyo from July 24 to August 9, 2020. However, it is anything but certain that they will be held - because the fight against the coronavirus could mean that the Games are canceled or held without spectators.

Now the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is trying to exude confidence: A joint working group involving the IOC, the organizer Tokyo 2020, the host city Tokyo, the government of Japan and the World Health Organization (WHO) had already been formed in mid-February. Plans are to be drawn up and implemented by these organizations to ensure the safe staging of the Games. In a statement issued on March 3, 2020, the IOC Executive Board also encouraged all athletes to continue preparing for the Games.Since 1896, when the Olympic Games were revived, they have been canceled five times due to war: World War 1 affected the 1916 Summer Games in Berlin, World War 2 affected the 1940 Winter Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo and 1944 in Sapporo, and the Summer Games in 1940 in Tokyo and 1944 in London.