Japan is pushing ahead with a “complete” Olympics as scheduled, according to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe today said the G7 leaders had agreed to support the Games but evaded questions over whether any had raised the possibility of postponement. He said he had told G7 leaders:
“We are doing everything in our power to prepare [for the Games], and we want to aim for a complete event as proof that mankind can defeat the coronavirus.” Japan has so far had more than 1,400 cases of the virus, with 28 deaths. Abe’s position was echoed by Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto as the International Olympic Committee executive board met today to discuss Tokyo 2020.
“A complete Olympics is what we are aiming for,” said Hashimoto. “We will do our utmost to prepare as scheduled so that the IOC will be convinced we are capable of hosting the Games.”
She added that a complete Olympics meant that the event “started on time and with spectators in attendance”.
But officials said they would scale down the Olympic Torch relay, which was due to begin in Fukushima on March 26. Meanwhile, British athletes have been warned against travelling abroad for pre-Olympic training camps.
Interim UK Athletics chief executive Nic Coward told staff in an email reported in The Times that it was strongly recommending, “that athletes do not travel abroad from the UK at this time”.
