By Michael Houston |
The Governor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike has said it would be “unthinkable” to cancel this year’s Olympics in the Japanese capital.
She did admit, however, that the coronavirus pandemic will have some effect on the running of the Tokyo 2020 Games this year.
“It can’t be said that the announcement of a pandemic would have no impact,” Koike said to AFP.
“But I think cancelation is unthinkable.”
Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori confirmed that the Games are currently going ahead as planned yesterday, despite Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi suggesting they could be delayed.
The International Olympic Committee has also reinforced its commitment to holding the Games as planned amid the coronavirus crisis.
Japan’s Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto said today that it was “inconceivable” to postpone the Games.
“From the viewpoint of athletes who are the main protagonists in the Tokyo Games, as they are making adjustments and preparations for this once-in-four-years event, it is inconceivable to cancel or postpone,” she said.
More than 126,000 people have been infected by coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, with more than 640 of those coming from Japan.
The nation has also seen 16 people die from the outbreak, the eighth-highest among all 124 countries and territories affected.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are due to run between July 24 and August 9.
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.