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SPORTS Tuesday 3 March 2020
Q&A: What's next for the Tokyo Olympics as virus spreads?

By STEPHEN WADE reasonable that a decision
TOKYO (AP) — The spread- will have to be made with
ing virus from China has two months to go.
been reported in more The Olympics have thou-
than 60 countries and puts sands of moving parts.
the Tokyo Olympics at risk. Sponsors who have paid bil-
The Olympics are to open lions must activate ad pro-
on July 24 — less than five grams. More than 11,000
months away. The Paralym- Olympic athletes and 4,400
pics follow on Aug. 25. for the Paralympics have to
IOC President Thomas know their training sched-
Bach, in an interview last ules. Add to that: flights,
week limited to Japanese hotel reservations, cater-
media, said the "IOC is ful- ing, ticketing, and broad-
ly committed to have the cast schedules. Almost 75%
opening ceremony there of the IOC's income of $5.7
on July 24th in Tokyo." He billion in a four-year cycle is
declined to speculate from broadcast rights.
about a postponement, Tokyo is officially spending
cancellation, or any com- $12.6 billion to organize the
bination of those possibili- Olympics, although a na-
ties. tional audit board says it's
Bach told the Japanese: twice that much.
"I'm not ready to add fuel Pound said all of the alter-
to the flames of specula- natives had major draw-
tion there in any way." In this Feb. 18, 2020, file photo, a man wearing a mask takes pictures of the mascots for the Tokyo backs: pushing the start
Others are. 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo. back a few months, post-
An Irish bookmaker last Associated Press poning until 2021, moving
week began taking bets: events to scattered ven-
4/6 the opening ceremony reliable facts on which to kyo's 80,000 unpaid volun- Monday that an Olympic ues or another city, or an
will not go ahead in Tokyo base it." teers has been postponed baseball qualifying event outright cancellation. The
as scheduled, or 11/10 that The virus has caused more until at least May. was postponed from April modern Olympics dating
it will. than 3,000 deaths, the vast A month ago, Muto said to June. It will be held in Tai- from 1896 have been can-
Senior IOC member Dick majority in China. Japan he was "seriously worried" wan as scheduled, but on celed three times during
Pound last week suggested has reported 12 deaths by the spread of the virus. June 17-21 instead of April the two World Wars, and
Tokyo and the IOC had with almost 1,000 cases. He has become more cau- 1-5. The World Baseball faced boycotts in 1976,
roughly until the end of Q: WHAT'S THE NEXT THING tious with his words since Softball Conference said 1980 and 1984.
May to announce a deci- TO WATCH? then. it was because of "player, Q: WHAT IS THE MOOD IN
sion. Pound, a former In- A: Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Q: WHAT'S UP WITH THE TEST personnel and spectator JAPAN?
ternational Olympic Com- Muto is holding a telecon- EVENTS? health and safety mea- A: It's uncertain and stress-
mittee vice president, said ference on Wednesday A: There are 18 remaining sures against the spread of ful, prompting some fear
there's no decision so far with the IOC executive test events. Many are small the coronavirus." and hoarding in shops. On
and stressed talks were board in Switzerland. The and involve only Japa- Olympic qualifiers have the other hand, daily life
nearly constant with the 14-member board along nese athletes, a chance been moved from China. seems about normal, per-
World Health Organization. with Bach made the big for organizers to test ven- Bach said that many Chi- haps with fewer commuters
He has characterized the decisions. ues and logistics. Two in nese teams and athletes on Tokyo's trains and more
virus as the "elephant" in There could be changes the next several weeks are are out of China and train- people wearing masks.
the room, likening the fight to the torch relay, which planned to have non-Jap- ing elsewhere: the table The government has asked
against it to "the new war." is set to open March 26 anese attending: Paralym- tennis team is in Qatar, the all schools to close for
"You just don't postpone in Fukushima prefecture, pic wheelchair rugby on women's basketball team more than a month. Prime
something on the size and northeast of Tokyo. The March 12-15, and a gym- is in Croatia, and wrestlers Minister Shinzo Abe has
scale of the Olympics," event is heavily sponsored nastics meet on April 4-6. are in Serbia. been criticized for get-
Pound told the Associated by Coca-Cola and Toyota. They'll be watched to see "We have managed to ting started late fighting
Press. "There are so many It might face crowd limits if non-Japanese athletes move qualification com- the virus. He announced a
moving parts; so many the way Sunday's Tokyo compete. petitions and tournaments 270 billion yen ($2.5 billion)
countries, so many different Marathon did. Preseason Crowd restrictions could within weeks from China to emergency economic aid
seasons and competitive baseball games are being be put in place, although other countries where the package on Saturday. He
seasons, television seasons. played in empty stadiums, many don't call for fans in safety of the athletes could said the country was at a
You can't say: 'We'll do it in soccer's J-League has sus- the first place. be ensured," Bach said. critical juncture to deter-
October.' It's a big, big, big pended play, and a large Q: WHAT ABOUT OLYMPIC Q: IOC MEMBER POUND mine whether it can keep
decision and you just can't Sumo event will be held QUALIFYING EVENTS? MENTIONED LATE MAY AS A the outbreak under control
take it until you have all the without fans. Training for To- A: Officials announced on DEADLINE. IS THAT FIRM? ahead of the Olympics.
A: Pound is a senior IOC "Frankly speaking, this bat-
member. But he was tle cannot be won solely
speaking as a rank-and-file by the efforts of the gov-
member when he specu- ernment," Abe said. "We
lated that late May was a cannot do it without un-
deadline to decide on To- derstanding and coopera-
kyo's future. The call will be tion from every one of you,
made by the IOC execu- including medical institu-
tive board, the WHO, and tions, families, companies
local organizers.. It seems and local governments."q