The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Tuesday that it’s still “fully committed” to the Tokyo Olympics slated to start at the end of July, despite the ongoing spread of the coronavirus worldwide.
“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,” the committee said in a statment.
The IOC says it created a coronavirus task force in conjunction with the “World Health Organization (WHO), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese authorities and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government” back in mid-February.
“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,” IOC President Thomas Bach said.
“We are an Olympic community; we support one another in good times and in difficult times. This Olympic solidarity defines us as a community,” he added.
Japan has over 800 confirmed cases of the virus with at least 28 deaths. The WHO has labeled the coronavirus as a pandemic, and last week, President Trump declared a national health emergency. In the U.S., there have been more than 4,000 confirmed cases and at least 85 deaths.