Berlin (AFP)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will use the "recommendations" of the World Health Organization (WHO) to decide on a possible postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled for this summer, said Thursday Thomas Bach.
"We will follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization," replied on the German channel ARD, the IOC president to the question of a possible postponement if the WHO asked.
The current pandemic of new coronaviruses is already posing "serious problems in qualifying competitions," said Bach.
"Qualification systems are in danger" in some sports and events due to cancellations of competitions linked to the spread of the Covid-19, he said.
"We will have to react in a very flexible way," argued the IOC boss, referring to possible modifications to the qualification criteria, without however specifying the sports and events concerned.
Athletes, especially those from particularly affected countries and regions, should benefit from a "fair system in these extremely difficult conditions", he concluded.
Doubts have been raised regularly for several weeks on the advisability of maintaining the Olympic Games scheduled in Japan from July 24 to August 9, followed in late August-early September of the Paralympic Games.
The governor of the Japanese capital assured Thursday that the cancellation of the Olympic Games was "unthinkable".
President Donald Trump suggested that he postpone the Tokyo Olympics for a year on Thursday.
© 2020 AFP