IOC stands firm on Tokyo Olympics despite coronavirus concerns

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday gave further unequivocal backing to this summer`s Tokyo Olympics, urging athletes to prepare "full steam" despite the coronavirus threat.

"We are preparing for a successful Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020," IOC head Thomas Bach said at an executive board meeting to discuss the July 24-Aug. 9 sporting extravaganza.

Earlier on Tuesday, Japan`s Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto had said that details within Tokyo`s contract with the IOC "could be interpreted as allowing a postponement" until the end of the year.

That host city contract states that one of several triggers which would allow the IOC to withdraw the Games from Tokyo would be if "the Games are not celebrated during the year 2020".

Hashimoto said, however, that Japan`s government and Tokyo were still committed to the Games beginning on July 24, and the IOC has repeatedly swatted aside any suggestions of a postponement. The Olympic body said again on Tuesday there was no Plan B, and that the Games would take place in their allotted time slot.

WREAK HAVOC

Any change to dates would instantly wreak havoc on most sports programmes, with competition calendars planned several years ago to accommodate the Tokyo timings. Finding a new date in 2020 at this stage, which would firstly need the green light from the IOC, would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the 33 sports federations present in Tokyo.

Bach, a 66-year-old lawyer and former Olympic fencing champion, has an iron grip on IOC decision-making and is known for sticking to his guns in adversity. "I would like to encourage all the athletes to continue their preparation for the Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 with great confidence and full steam," the German told reporters in Lausanne. "From our side, we will continue to support the athletes and the National Olympic Committees."

Multiple sports events around the world have been cancelled during the epidemic, which has killed more than 3,000 people in China and spread to more than 60 nations including Japan where infections are near 1,000 and 12 people have died.

SMALLER CROWDS

Crowds will be smaller and receptions have been scrapped at the Tokyo 2020 torch lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia, Greece, next week as the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) introduced measures to protect against the coronavirus, it said on Tuesday.

Despite concerns over possible health risks to spectators and participants at the Games, the Olympic body is unwilling to publicly discuss any other option, such as cancellation or postponement.

The IOC board said a joint task force had been created two weeks ago, involving the IOC, the Tokyo Games organisers, the city, the government, and the World Health Organisation to help deal with the coronavirus ahead of the Olympics.

"The IOC EB appreciates and supports the measures being taken, which constitute an important part of Tokyo`s plans to host safe and secure Games," the task force said in a statement.

Tokyo has pumped in more than $12 billion to organise the event, while billions more were spent on related projects. Tokyo Games organisers are due to deliver a report via video conference to the executive board on Wednesday.