Doubts over the Olympics

THE Tokyo Olympics were thrown into doubt yesterday after a top Japanese politician said they must be cancelled “without hesitation” if they spread coronavirus.

Toshihiro Nikai, of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said: “If the Olympics led to the spread of infection, I don’t know what is the point of the Olympics.”

But, Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said: “We’re not thinking of cancelling the Olympics.”

The UK’s Great North Run is also at risk unless the Government works with insurers, its founder warned.

Sir Brendan Foster, 73, said unless they intervene “the industry is not available to offer insurance for major events”.