Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games may get cancelled if coronavirus not controlled: Senior official

Senior Olympic official recently said that a complete cancellation rather than rescheduling is possible if the deadly coronavirus is not contained, international media reported. Dick Pound, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), reportedly estimated that there is a maximum of three months to decide the final fate of the Olympics which is scheduled to take place in Tokyo this year. Japan, meanwhile has 186 confirmed cases of the deadly virus in addition to the 704, who were diagnosed on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. 

The decision won't be put up till May

Pound, while speaking to a news agency said that it would be in late May that the officials would question themselves if there was sufficient control over the infection to hold the Tokyo games. He further said that as the games draw near, a lot of things would start happening, officials would start ramping up security, food, Olympic village, hotels etc. before saying that media would start building their studios. He then said that only if the IOC decides that the games can not go forward as scheduled in Tokyo, then they will cancel it.

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Meanwhile, other sporting events across Japan have also been called off amid the rising fear of coronavirus. The J1 League football has been postponed till 15 march making it the biggest disruption in the professional game since the 2011 tsunami and earthquake.

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The Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato on February 25 reportedly called on the public to step up prevention and safety efforts after the government announced basic policies to tackle the novel coronavirus. The proposed measures include encouraging companies to allow employees to work from home and expanding hospital treatment capacity, urging people to wash their hands carefully and avoid going out when feeling unwell, a news agency reported. The government has also asked those with mild illnesses to go to family doctors instead of hospitals with specialised virus-control facilities which are treating many seriously ill patients.

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