Beating coronavirus essential for safe Olympics: Tokyo Governor Koike

Friday, 20 March 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

TOKYO (Reuters): Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Thursday that beating the coronavirus is essential to host a safe and secure Tokyo Olympics, but that it was still too early to discuss the timing of a decision on whether the Games should go ahead as scheduled.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike

The breadth and scale of the spreading coronavirus around the world have forced the cancellation of numerous sporting events, raising concerns about whether the Olympics will be able to open on 24 July as planned.

Koike said that she’s currently not thinking about cancelling the Olympics or holding them without spectators, two options that have been raised, and added that she’s in close contact with the International Olympic Committee and central government about the situation.