IOC: 'The Games Will Go Ahead'

(ATR) Faced with a barrage of questions about the potential threat and implications of the coronavirus on staging the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams adamantly insists that the Games will begin as scheduled on July 24.

Adams said the IOC’s position follows advice given by the World Health Organization, which is not classifying the coronavirus as a global pandemic, and that there currently is no travel ban to Japan.

"The conclusion from us is that the Games are going ahead, the Games will go ahead, we’re confident that they’re going ahead and they will start on the 24th," Adams told journalists in Lausanne.

"Obviously, it is a big issue for a lot of people and there is a lot of worry," he said.

"There is a lot of speculation around, people fueling speculations, but we like to stick to the facts.

"We had a very good presentation from all of our directors…there is a working group composed of all the key stakeholders around the Games, and as I said before, all of the advice that we are getting from the WHO, which is the competent authority, is that these Games can go ahead and they will go ahead."

The IOC spokesperson’s remarks came during a 30-minute news conference following the conclusion of day one of an IOC Executive Board meeting in the Olympic capital.

Adams addressed media three hours after IOC president Bach also affirmed to camera crews and reporters: "Following a very comprehensive discussion today with the executive board, the IOC remains fully committed to the success of the Tokyo Games 2020.

"I would like to encourage all the athletes to continue their preparation for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 with great confidence and full steam," said the IOC president.

Adams admitted the cancellation of various Olympic test events and qualification events poses somewhat of a concern, but the situation will be resolved.

"So far we have done a very good job working with all of our partners making sure that qualifications could still take place," he said. "Test events, it’s hypothetical, but I’m sure we will find a way for qualification and test events to

take place and for us to be satisfied that the Games can begin on the 24th of July."

Asked by Around the Rings how the IOC might handle a situation in which athletes, NOCs, officials and fans aren’t willing to take a risk attending the Tokyo 2020 Games, Adams emphasized that he will not speculate.

"At this stage, I see no reason to go into that - we are still somewhere away from July 24th when the Games will begin so I see no reason to speculate," Adams said.

"We are still moving full steam ahead with plans.

"We have a working group that consists of the NOCs, the IFs, the Japanese government, the local authorities in Tokyo, obviously the organizing committee and advice from the WHO.

"That is the best constellation of advice that you can get in this situation and you can come up with all sorts of speculation, all sorts of doomsday scenarios, but we would prefer to stick to the advice from the experts and those who know and we see no reason to think other than we will be going ahead."

In other news, Adams also noted that the IOC Executive Board approved the proposals from Paris 2024 on holding surfing in the waves of Tahiti and using the Place de la Concorde in Paris as the urban sports venue.

Requests from 11 athletes to change their nationality and compete for their new countries at the Tokyo Games were accepted by the IOC EB.

The IOC also accepted the resignation of honorary member Tamas Ajan, the president of the International Weightlifting Federation and an IOC member until 2010.

The IWF is investigating accusations by a German TV documentary that Ajan led a federation engaged in doping related corruption procedures. Ajan denies it.

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Written and reported by Brian Pinelli in Lausanne

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