Chief executive of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, Toshiro Muto hopes that coronavirus patients will be isolated effectively as the spread of the disease can affect the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
He said this after a senior Olympic official in Japan has warned that the coronavirus could “throw cold water” on preparations for Tokyo 2020. Toshiro Muto is adamant that they will not think of cancelling the Games.
He said that he was concerned about the impact the spread of the virus was having in the run-up to the Olympics which are due to open in 170 days.
“I am seriously worried that the spread of the infectious disease could throw cold water on the momentum toward the Games,” Muto said during a meeting in Tokyo with officials from the International Paralympic Committee. “I hope that it will be stamped out as soon as possible.”
Muto’s concerns were echoed by Saburo Kawabuchi, the mayor of the athletes’ village, where 11,000 competitors will stay during the Games.
“I truly hope that the infectious disease will die down somehow so that we will be able to operate the Paralympics and Olympics smoothly,” he said. “In the worst case we will do our utmost for the athletes so that they will be able to concentrate on performing their best.”
The coronavirus outbreak, which has killed 490 people in mainland China and infected more than 23,000, has disrupted several qualifying events that were due to be held in the country, including those for women’s football and basketball, boxing and badminton.
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