VOA慢速英语--东京奥运会的推迟给购票者带来了麻烦

The postponement¹ of the Tokyo Olympics has created a big problem for buyers of millions of tickets to the 2020 summer games.

The games were delayed because of travel restrictions² and coronavirus public safety measures. But many questions remain for people who planned to go.

Tokyo organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) say the games will open on July 23, 2021. The competition schedule remains³ largely unchanged. More information is not expected until later this year and early next year as officials react to the developments in the COVID-19 health crisis⁴.

Olympic tickets

Olympics events are often listed as "sold out." But only half of the seats are filled because some people, who are given tickets or special passes, do not show up.

Four years ago, in Rio de Janeiro, IOC member Patrick Hickey of Ireland was arrested for scalping tickets. Scalping takes place when a person buys tickets to an event and tries to resell them at higher prices. Hickey claims he is innocent.

Japan has passed an anti-scalping law because of the Tokyo Olympics, although the law has several loopholes.

Olympic tickets for residents of Japan were sold through the local organizing committee. The committee says refunds⁶ for the postponement "will be carried out" no earlier than this autumn.

However, refunds are more complex for foreign buyers. That is because people outside of Japan buy tickets through Authorized⁷ Ticket Resellers appointed by national Olympic committees. These groups can add a 20 percent fee on tickets. They can combine desirable tickets with package deals at high-end hotels. They also set the foreign currency exchange rates.

In Brazil four years ago, CoSport, the ticket reseller for the United States, used a currency exchange rate that raised ticket prices.

Authorized ticket resellers have different conditions for returning money for unused tickets. Christopher Chase is a lawyer based in New York. He looked at the "Terms and Conditions" set out by Tokyo organizers about ticket use. He said those terms appeared to cover the coronavirus pandemic. But he noted⁸ that local organizers had already promised to refund⁵ buyers for the postponement, as have many official resellers.

The Associated Press talked to many ticket buyers about their plans through email.

Andrew Pham is a financial trader in Spokane, Washington. He has spent $2,500 on tickets and still plans to go to Tokyo next year.

"I would say at this point, no one should be buying or holding any tickets that they couldn't afford to lose," he said.

Pham said he thinks that CoSport will be unlikely to return money if the Olympics are canceled.

Sharon delPilar works as a stage manager in Las Vegas. She has spent $800 on tickets and looks forward to going to the Olympics.

"I'm willing to run the risk...I trust all efforts will be made to work things out," she said.

Thomas Armbrustmacher of Michigan said he has spent almost $1,000 on tickets and is also taking a chance. "I am willing to take the risk that I will not get a ticket refund," he wrote.

Brandon Nagata works for the state of Hawaii in Honolulu. He said he spent about $3,400 on tickets and had returned some of them for a refund, although he had to pay a service fee. He still plans to attend.

Tokyo organizers say at least 70 percent of the 7.8 million tickets were saved for buyers in Japan. About 4.5 million tickets have been sold to Japanese residents. Ticket sales are expected to be worth at least $800 million to local organizers.

I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.

Words in This Story

ticket – n. a piece of pare that gives the holder⁹ a right to enter a place or take part in an event

schedule – n. a plan for when things will be done and what times they will take place

loophole – n. something in a law that makes it possible for some people to legally avoid its requirements

resident – n. a person who lives somewhere permanently¹⁰ or for a long time

refund –n. an amount of money that is given back to someone who has returned a product, paid too much, etc.

authorized – adj. officially permitted to sell a product or service

fee – n. a payment made to a person, business or group in exchange for advice or services

package – n. a group of related things sold together for a single price

currency – n. the money that a country uses: a specific kind of money

pandemic – n. an occurrence¹¹ in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

afford – v. to be able to pay for (something)

stage manager – n. a person who supervises the physical aspects of a stage production, assists the director during rehearsals, and is in charge of the stage during a performance

1 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

5 refund   

v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款

参考例句：

• They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
• We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

6 refunds   

n.归还，偿还额，退款( refund的名词复数 )v.归还，退还( refund的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Tomorrow he would return them to the store and claim refunds. 明天他要把它们退还给商店并要求退款。 来自辞典例句
• The new method means that taxpayers get refunds much faster. 这种新办法意味着纳税人可以较快地领到退还款。 来自辞典例句

7 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

10 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

11 occurrence   

n.发生，出现，事件，发生的事件

参考例句：

• Two things account for its occurrence.发生这件事的原因有两个。
• For a military commander，winning or losing a battle is a common occurrence.胜败乃兵家常事。