Japan says Games could be held any time in 2020

Japan’s Olympic minister said Tuesday the contract to hold the Tokyo Games only specifies the event has to be held during 2020.

Seiko Hashimoto’s response to a question in the upper house of parliament implies the Olympics could be held later in the year and would not have to start on July 24 as planned. The Paralympics open on Aug. 25.

The Tokyo Olympics are being threatened by a fast-spreading virus that has been blamed for 12 deaths in Japan and has shut down most schools, sports competitions and Olympic-related events in the country. The virus that started in China has been detected in at least 70 countries, with 90,000 cases and 3,100 deaths reported.

“The IOC has the right to cancel the games only if they are not held during 2020,” Hashimoto told parliament. “This can be interpreted to mean the games can be postponed as long as they are held during the calendar year.”

The surfing events at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be held on the other side of the world in Tahiti. The IOC signed off on Paris organizers’ wish to send surfing competitions more than 9,000 miles away to the Pacific island instead of using France’s Atlantic coast.

Colleges:

An attorney announced that his firm represents more than a 40 people, including two former football players and an ex-hockey player, in the University of Michigan sexual abuse case. Parker Stinar told the Associated Press that one of his new clients helped the Wolverines win the 1997 national championship in football and one went on to play in the NHL.

NFL:

A person with knowledge of the deal told AP that the Broncos agreed to acquire CB A.J. Bouye from the Jaguars for a fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft. The teams cannot comment on it until March 18 . ... Sports Business Journal reported that ESPN has reached out to Peyton Manning’s representation to “gauge his interest” in joining the “Monday Night Football” booth.

Also:

Liverpool was eliminated from the FA Cup in a 2-0 loss to Chelsea. In two weeks, Liverpool has gone from looking near unbeatable in all competitions to losing three of four . ... Emergency surgery has sidelined Jeff King, a four-time winner of Alaska’s famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race days before he was set to compete in his 30th race.