SPECTATORS COULD BE SHUT OUT OF OLYMPICS TOO

BRITISH CYCLING chief Stephen Park has suggested that the Tokyo olympics could take place without fans because of the coronavirus epidemic.

Sportsmail revealed yesterday that the International olympic Committee, World Health organisation and leaders of sports federations had discussed holding the Games behind closed doors as an alternative to calling it off.

And British Cycling performance director Park has become the first figure from one of Great Britain’s olympic sports to speak publicly about the prospect.

Supporters have been banned from a number of sporting events in Japan, including baseball, tennis, sumo wrestling and horseracing.

Senior IoC member dick Pound claimed the olympics could be cancelled if coronavirus was still prevalent in May, but Park thinks shutting fans out of the Games in July and August is more likely.

‘right now, I’m really confident it will go ahead,’ he said. ‘Will it mean it might be different? Possibly.

‘look at the World Cup skiing in two weeks’ time in Cortina (in Italy); they are doing it on a closed circuit with no fans, and that’s going to an area that doesn’t have any infections.

‘So might some of those things happen? Possibly. Equally, we are not worried about them. We are making sure that we don’t let it become a distraction or overtake the preparation. We are full steam ahead expecting to be there in July in Tokyo.’

Park said British Cycling are taking their own steps to try to prevent the virus affecting their riders and staff.

‘We have worked to improve the cleanliness of the changing rooms,’ he added, speaking from the Track World Championships in Berlin.

‘They are being upgraded while we are here, so when we get back they will be going into brand new, sterilised changing rooms. We are not taking any risks.’