No reason to cancel Olympics, WHO says

TOKYO The World Health Organization has told the International Olympic Committee there is no case for cancelling or relocating the Tokyo 2020 Olympics over the coronavirus outbreak, the head of the IOC’s Co-ordination Commission said on Friday.

WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib declined to comment, but told reporters on Wednesday: “There is no zero risk with any mass gathering.” WHO cannot be an “arbiter,” he said, adding that most events can be held if proper risk-management measures are applied by organizers and local health officials.

The 17-day event is due to start on July 24. Japan said separately on Friday it would step up testing and containment after reporting its first coronavirus death and confirming new cases, including a doctor and a taxi driver.

John Coates said advice the IOC received “externally” from the WHO was “there is no case for any contingency plans of cancelling the Games or moving the Games.”

The spreading outbreak, whose epicentre is the Chinese city of Wuhan, has prompted the cancellation of some international sporting events, as well as 2020 Games qualifying competitions for boxing and badminton that were due to take place in China.

Coates said co-ordination between the Japan organizing committee’s virus task force and other national authorities reinforced the IOC’s confidence that the situation was being properly addressed.

That raised expectations that “we’ll be able to ensure that the Games go ahead in a way that’s safe for the athletes and spectators,” Coates said.