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SPORTS Thursday 5 March 2020
Despite virus, IOC unwavering

on Olympics starting in July

By GRAHAM DUNBAR Tokyo Games. el issues for athletes from
AP Sports Writer Asked if the WHO declar- China and elsewhere.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland ing a pandemic would "This is challenging, yes,"
(AP) — Despite worldwide change the IOC's position, Bach acknowledged, "but
concern and speculation Bach said: "I will not take I must also say I'm pret-
about whether the fast- part in any way of such ty proud of the Olympic
spreading virus outbreak kind of mere speculations." movement, for the great
will affect the Tokyo Olym- Bach said he took confi- solidarity and flexibility ev-
pics, the IOC's leadership is dence from having met erybody has shown so far."
not joining in the debate. the WHO's director general Bach, who won a gold International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach
"Neither the word cancel- and other leading officials medal in fencing at the from Germany speaks during a press conference after the ex-
ecutive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee
lation nor the word post- last Friday. A task force 1976 Montreal Olympics, (IOC), at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednes-
ponement was even men- of officials from the WHO, was also asked if he had day, March 4, 2020.
tioned," International Olym- IOC and Japanese sports experienced a period as Associated Press
pic Committee president and public officials has also stressful as this in his 50 years
Thomas Bach told a news been working together for as an athlete and sports of- the 2016 Rio de Janeiro In IOC board decisions on
conference Wednesday around three weeks. ficial. Olympics. He also noted Wednesday:
about the second day of The virus has affected "Many," he said, citing con- boycotts at each Summer — The Olympic push to-
executive board meeting qualifying competitions for cerns of nuclear war with Games from 1976 to 1984 ward gender equality
in Lausanne, Switzerland. many of the 33 sports on North Korea before the and the terrorist attack at means a change in flag-
Bach sought to project Tokyo's medal program, 2018 Winter Games in Py- the 1972 Munich Olympics. bearing protocol for the
calm assurance after hold- which some postponed, eongchang, South Korea, "Do you need more?" he opening ceremony at the
ing a conference call with venues changed, and trav- and the zika virus before said. Tokyo Games. q
local organizers. In Tokyo,
officials then briefed lo-
cal media, some of whom
wore protective masks.
Asked how he could be so
confident the July 24-Aug.
9 Olympics will go ahead
as scheduled, Bach re-
plied: "Because we talk to
the experts."
"We are a sports organiza-
tion and we follow the ad-
vice of the World Health Or-
ganization," Bach said, re-
ferring to the United Nations
agency based around 60
kilometers (40 miles) away
in Geneva.
The coronavirus that
emerged in China late last
year had infected more
than 90,000 people glob-
ally by Wednesday and
caused over 3,100 deaths.
Serious outbreaks have
been experienced in Iran
and Italy.
Federal authorities in the
IOC's home country Swit-
zerland, which shares a
border with Italy, have
banned public gatherings
of 1,000 people until mid-
March to help contain the
virus spreading.
Around 100 people were in
a conference room at IOC
headquarters to hear Bach
use broadly similar answers
to bat away virus questions
from different angles.
"I will not add fuel to the
flame of speculation," Bach
said when asked about
deadline for deciding
whether to postpone the