The postponed Tokyo Olympics look set to have the same time slot in 2021 as originally planned for this year, according to reports.
Japanese broadcaster NHK and the New York Times report that the preferred option is to open the Games on July 23, with the closing ceremony on August 8.
The Olympics were originally set for July 24-August 9 this year, before being pushed back in an unprecedented move by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and local organisers because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Paralympics are also to keep their slot, expected to be August 24-September 5, 2021, according to NHK.
Last week, IOC president Thomas Bach said a final decision should be made within the next three weeks.
Bach has been open to other dates and some international federations had suggested moving the Games to spring 2021 to avoid Tokyo's intense summer heat, which has been a concern.
They include table tennis, which will hold world championships from June 17-26 next year in the United States.
But world body president Thomas Weikert admitted that the likely new slot was "realistic", even though it was "far from ideal".
Keeping the July-August slot makes accommodating the Games in a full sports calendar easier and would also be the preferred scenario for American broadcaster NBC, which has paid more than $US12 billion (NZ$19 billion) for the rights from 2014-32.
Several world championships, including in Olympic showcase sports of swimming and athletics, would have to be rescheduled to fit around the Games next year.
World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, the chief organiser of the London 2012 Olympics, has said his body and local organisers are considering the possibility of pushing back the worlds at Oregon, USA, to 2022.
Swimming body FINA is also reportedly flexible, but said it wants to keep the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2021.
DPA
