Coronavirus Outbreak Could Lead to Cancellation of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

According to a senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), if the coronavirus outbreak doesn’t reverse, it is likely that the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will be altogether cancelled, not delayed or postponed.

Due to the rapidly increasing nature of the CoVid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, a senior official from the International Olympic Committee, Dick Pound, announced on Tuesday that if the virus doesn’t change course, they’ll likely cancel the games altogether rather than postponing or delaying them.

According to Pound, it’s likely that a decision will be made in the next three months, or maybe even two, as to whether the games will take place or not. In his interview with the Associated Press, he stated that when this deadline draws near, the condition of the virus worldwide and the safety of all of the participants will need to be evaluated.

Thus far Japan has recorded 4 deaths due to the virus but there is fear of a much greater outbreak in the coming days and weeks. There are expected to be nearly 11,000 athletes attending the Olympic games in 2020. While encouraging athletes to maintain their training in preparation, he stated, “All indications are at this stage that it will be business as usual. So, keep focused on your sport and be sure that the IOC is not going to send you into a pandemic situation.”