Los Angeles (AFP)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not consider postponing or canceling the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to the coronavirus epidemic until invited to do so by the World health (WHO), said Thursday one of the historic members of the sports institution.
"The IOC and the Tokyo organizers will not cancel, postpone, or do anything about the Games unless there are very serious and specific warnings or regulations from WHO or competent authorities, "said IOC figure Dick Pound of Canada, AFP.
"Unless there is a global crisis the severity of which would prevent the Games from taking place, or push the authorities to ban travel or something like that, we are moving forward," he said.
The first president of the World Anti-Doping Agency says he is nevertheless aware of the shadow that the new coronavirus casts on the organization of the competition, scheduled from July 24 to August 9: "It would be irresponsible to continue to advance without having to mind that something could happen. "
Is there a deadline before which a decision will have to be made regarding the hosting of the Games?
"At some point, whether two months or a month upstream, someone will have to decide," replied Dick Pound.
"A lot will depend on the data we have as we get closer to the deadline," he said. "It would be foolish to make a decision quickly without having the necessary information."
The IOC, through the voice of its coordinating committee John Coates, said in mid-February that there was, according to the recommendations received from the WHO, "no reason to plan an emergency plan for the cancellation or postponement of the Games ".
The Japanese organizing committee said it, at the beginning of the month, "extremely worried" insofar as "the advance of the epidemic could temper interest and enthusiasm for the Games".
The coronavirus epidemic has already led to the cancellation or postponement of many sporting events in Japan and around the world.
© 2020 AFP