With all the drama swirling around Covid-19 coronavirus, it’s easy to forget that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were supposed to be held later this month – July 24 would have been the grand Opening Ceremony. On March 24, the official one-year postponement of the Games was announced, disappointing thousands of people who managed to buy or win tickets in the lottery.
There is some slightly good news though: tickets for the delayed Games are still valid for next year’s event in July 2021. Of course, life gets in the way, and some people might not be able to, or feel comfortable with, attending the event. Japanese residents who have won tickets to the Olympics or Paralympics in the lotteries but can no longer attend are eligible for a refund. If you live overseas and purchased tickets through an Authorised Ticket Reseller (ATR), you’ll have to organise your refund through your home country’s ticket reseller.
Now, let’s address the question on everyone’s mind: how can we get our paws on the secondhand refunded tickets? Currently, the Tokyo 2020 organising committee and the IOC are brainstorming how to scale down the Games, which includes cutting costs and crowds, so some of those tickets might end up never being resold. If you’re planning to be in Tokyo next year, there's still no word on how to snag a refunded ticket, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed. According to Japan Today, Tokyo 2020 organisers are currently working to secure next year’s venues.
Details on how to apply for the refund have yet to be announced, so keep your eyes on the official Tokyo 2020 website for more information.
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