IOC committed to Tokyo Games, wary of virus 'elephant': Pound

Olympic chiefs will not consider cancelling or postponing this summer's Tokyo Games over the coronavirus unless the World Health Organisation or other regulatory body advises to do so, a senior IOC official said Thursday.

Senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound told AFP there had been no discussion about a possible cancellation of the games over the COVID-19 outbreak.

Pound said the IOC would only seek to rearrange the Tokyo Games if given specific advice to do so by international authorities.

"The IOC and the Tokyo organisers would not cancel or postpone or do anything else regarding the games absent some very serious and specific admonitions or regulations stemming from the WHO or the appropriate regulatory authorities," Pound told AFP.

So far, Pound said, the IOC had not discussed the possibility of axing the games.

"The IOC is equally committed to going ahead with the project that has been planned for the past six and a half years," he said.

"Unless there is a world situation that is so serious that the games cannot be held or that the regulatory authorities prohibit travel or that sort of thing, we're carrying on.

"But it would be irresponsible to carry on without having at least in the back of your mind that something might happen."
"But understand and be aware there may be a possible elephant in the room."
- Cancellation 'worst outcome' -
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"To act precipitously without the right information and to do so too early would be just crazy."
"You'd have to sit down with the Tokyo organisers and probably the Japanese government as a whole and say 'Now look -- are you going to be able to hold this together for a year?' Are we going to be able to get into the facilities? Can hotel reservations be pushed for a year? Can you manage with ticketing? Do you want to do this?'