PETER: NO CONCERN OVER THE OLYMPICS JUST YET

VIRUS CRISIS

IRISH Olympic chief Peter Sherrard remains confident that the Tokyo Games will go ahead despite coronavirus fears.

IOC luminary Dick Pound fuelled concerns that the July-august event could be cancelled after claiming that a final call on holding the Games would have to come in May if Covid-19 continued to spread in Japan and beyond.

“They haven’t put a date on that,” said OFI chief executive Sherrard. “I’m not sure Dick’s comments necessarily reflect what they’re thinking.

“We have to continue planning as we always would. It would be irrational not to. The advice from Tokyo – and they’re working with the IOC and the national government – is that they believe the Games will go ahead.

“That’s realistic as it’s still five months away. A lot can happen. We’re not being complacent about it. We’ll continue to follow their advice on it.”

Sherrard (above) acknowedges that the coronavirus will cause disruption in the build-up to the Games. For example, the Irish boxing team has returned from a qualifers camp in Italy a week early.

He said: “There are examples where they’re saying, ‘in the current environment, we can run and it poses no threat’ and other cases they’re saying better to postpone. Likewise with the international federations.”

Sherrard pointed out that an important sailing qualifier had been moved this week from Genoa to Palma de Mallorca.

“We’ll probably need more support to react in the build-up as opposed to at the Games itself,” added Sherrard, speaking at the announcement that the OFI will fly athletes in business class to the Games with Qatar Airways.

We’ll probably need more support to react in the build-up as opposed to the Games itself..