Tokyo Olympic organizers and the International Olympic Committee said there is no “Plan B” for the upcoming summer games despite the fact the World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus, which originated in central China, has become a global health epidemic.
“Certainly, the advice we’ve received externally from the WHO is that there is no case for any contingency plans or canceling the games or moving the games,’’ IOC inspection team head John Coates said in a press conference.
Coates claimed he was 100 percent confident the games, which begin July 24, will continue as scheduled.
Others weren’t so sure.
“It is meaningless to predict a timing when the coronavirus may come to an end,’’ former regional director of WHO and infectious disease expert from Japan Shigeru Omi told the AP in a separate press conference. “We should assume that the virus has already been spreading in Japan. People should understand we cannot only rely on border controls to prevent the spread of the disease.’’
CEO of the Tokyo Olympics Toshiro Muto said two weeks ago in a meeting with International Paralympic Committee officials that he was seriously worried about the impact the coronavirus could have on the momentum toward the games.
Several qualifying events has already been canceled or moved because of the virus. The Asia and Oceanian region’s qualifying boxing event has been canceled and the Asia football confederation football qualifies have been moved from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, to Nanjing.
China is expected to bring a team of 600 athletes and officials to Tokyo for the games. That does not include the fan base.
As of now, there has only been one coronavirus-induce fatality in Japan to a women in her 80’s living near Tokyo but at least two more confirmed cases, none whom have been traveling, an indication the disease could be spreading within the country There are over 64,000 confirmed cases and at least 1600 deaths reported in China to date. There have also been 44 cases of the disease on a cruise ship quarantined outside Tokyo.
