I am not God so I don’t know: Chief Tokyo Olympics organising committee
TOKYO:THE president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee rebuffed speculation on Wednesday that the Games might be cancelled due to deepening concern about the coronavirus outbreak, declaring that was not an option. “I am totally not considering this,” Yoshiro Mori told reporters at a briefing when asked about a possible cancellation. Asked when the organisers could decide on changes to the Olympics, he said: “I’m not God so I don’t know.”
But Mori, who repeated several times that the only plan right now was to hold the Games as scheduled, also emphasised that the organisers were listening to various opinions and would be flexible. “The situation changes every day. It changes depending on the place. That’s why we need to respond in a flexible manner,” Mori said.
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan has topped 1,000. This has fuelled worries the Games could be postponed or even cancelled.
Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto fuelled concerns about a delay, saying on Tuesday that Tokyo’s contract with the IOC “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement” until the end of the year, although she reiterated the government remained committed to the Games starting on July 24.
Mori said Hashimoto had told him that her remarks had been misinterpreted and taken out of context. Mori spoke after a videolink with the board members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), during which he briefed them on measures Tokyo 2020 officials were taking to control the spread of coronavirus during the events in the run up to the Games. The IOC board members are holding a two-day meeting in Lausanne.
Mori said he was “happy” and “encouraged” to hear that IOC President Thomas Bach was confident that the Olympics would begin as scheduled on July 24.
The organising committee’s CEO, Toshiro Muto, said it will monitor the temperature and the overall health of the runners and staff taking part in the Olympic torch relay which will arrive in Japan on March 20.
Muto said that the details of the ceremonies celebrating its arrival from Greece in the earthquake-struck Miyagi prefecture, as well as the official kick-off in Fukushima on March 26, will be announced in the coming days.
Tokyo 2020 will ask runners feeling unwell to not participate and it may restrict the number of people attending relay events.
EVENT SHIFTED
MANILA: The Badminton Asia Championships will go ahead next month after it was shifted to the Philippines from China, organisers said on Wednesday, bringing cheer to shuttlers worried about Olympics qualification amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Badminton Asia Championships, which was originally scheduled to be held from April 21-26 in Wuhan, will now take place in Manila. “Badminton Asia together with the Philippine Badminton Association has been working closely to ensure visa approval for players and officials’ entry into Manila for all participants in this important and prestigious championship,” the organisers said in a statement.
MORE VIRUS CASES
ABU DHABI: Six more people with links to the cancelled UAE Tour cycling race have been infected with the virus. The Ministry of Health in the UAE said that two Russians, two Italians, one German and one Colombian have been diagnosed with the virus.
They were all linked to two previous cases involving Italians, it said. Rider Igor Boev of the Gazprom-rusvelo team told Russian news agency RIA Novosti that he was in the hospital after being diagnosed.
Riders from other teams are staying in isolation in case they develop symptoms. Arnaud Demare of Groupama-fdj posted a video of makeshift fitness routines in his hotel room and eating food delivered in a paper bag. Cofidis team president Thierry Vittu said he was told to stay in quarantine until March 14. He said it was a relief to have a deadline for when riders and staff could leave.
“Now we know where we stand, and even if the confinement in the room continues, everyone will manage to find occupations, distractions, activities,” he said on the team website.
The last two stages of the UAE Tour were cancelled on February 28 after two virus cases among team staff members.
HANDLE OWN TOWELS
CAGLIARI: In tennis, players will have to handle their own towels at an Italy-south Korea Davis Cup qualifier scheduled for this weekend—freeing ball kids of the duty. The match in Cagliari, Sardinia, could be called off or played in an empty stadium, however.
“We’re awaiting government orders,” Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti said. “We’ll play if we can. We’ll play without fans if they tell us to. And we won’t play if they tell us not to.”
TEST EVENT CANCELLED
TOKYO: Japan cancelled the Tokyo
Olympics’ rugby test event on Wednesday. Organisers said they couldn’t guarantee a safe running of the Asia Sevens Invitational, scheduled for April 25-26.
“As the impact of the novel coronavirus spreads across the world, we are not able to guarantee that the tournament will be held safely at this point,” Japan Rugby Football Union said in a statement.
EVENT POSTPONED
BENGALURU: The FIBA 3x3 basketball Olympic qualifying tournament, scheduled from March 18 to 22, was on Wednesday postponed. This is the first sporting event to be put off in India owing to the virus outbreak. “The FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualification Tournament has been postponed,” Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) said in a statement.