Tokyo Olympics Could Be Delayed for One or Two Years Due to Coronavirus - Report
Over 115,000 people have been infected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) across the globe. While a majority have recovered, over 4,000 have died. The number of infected people in Japan is on the rise and currently stands at 514.
Earlier in the day, the Japanese cabinet approved draft legislation on a possible declaration of a state of emergency, should the spread of coronavirus worsen.
A member of the executive board for the Japanese organizing committee, Haruyuki Takahashi, said Tuesday that if the Olympics cannot go ahead this summer in Tokyo because of COVID-19, a realistic option would be to simply delay the event by one or two years, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said earlier that it was determined to successfully host the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August. The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics announced in February the creation of a special working group to monitor the deadly Wuhan coronavirus.
Greece's National Olympic Committee said earlier that the ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame in Greece on Thursday will be held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak. The dress rehearsal of the ceremony on Wednesday will take place without spectators or journalists.
The Olympic flame lighting ceremony will be held on 12 March in Ancient Olympia. On 19 March, the flame will be handed over to the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee at a stadium in Athens, and then the Olympic torch relay will be held throughout Greece for eight days.
As of Sunday, Greece had detected 73 cases of infection of the Wuhan coronavirus.
- Source : Sputnik News
