Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday reiterated its view of going ahead with the Tokyo Olympics as per the schedule and said that ‘there is no need for any drastic decisions at this stage’ despite the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus across the globe.
“The IOC remains fully committed to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and with more than four months to go before the Games there is no need for any drastic decisions at this stage, and any speculation at this moment would be counter-productive,” IOC said in a statement.
IOC has continued its consultations with all the stakeholders of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The first meeting took place with International Olympic Summer Federation on Tuesday, while discussion with the others will follow in the upcoming days.
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Despite the deadly COVID-19, which has killed over 7,900 people and infecting more than 1,98,000 people, severely affecting the sporting calendars worldwide, the IOC has encouraged the athletes to carry on with their training and preparation for the summer games.
“The IOC encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as best they can. The IOC will continue to monitor the situation 24/7. Already in mid-February, a task force was set up consisting of the IOC, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese authorities and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government,” the statement read.
However, the international governing body’s president Thomas Bach has assured that the safety and health of those involved in the games will be of utmost priority and promised to support everyone in need.
“The health and well-being of all those involved in the preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is our number-one concern. All measures are being taken to safeguard the safety and interests of athletes, coaches and support teams. We are an Olympic community; we support one another in good times and in difficult times. This Olympic solidarity defines us as a community,” Bach said.
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