With less than five months to go before the Tokyo Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach plans emergency talks with member organisations, sources close to the IOC said on Sunday.
The IOC plans a conference call on Tuesday to “keep theinternational federations informed of the situation, as well as the NationalOlympic Committees and athletes,” one source close to the IOC told AFP.
The IOC “will take stock of the actions taken” torespond to the coronavirus crisis”and the federations will have the opportunity to ask questions”added a source close to one international sports federation The IOC”conducts a regular dialogue with all the Olympic partners and regularlyinforms them of the situation,” added an IOC spokesman.
While many international sporting events have been postponedor cancelled, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised on Friday that Tokyowould host the Olympic Games as planned in July and August, despite questionsraised by the pandemic.
Thomas Bach said on Thursday that his organisation wouldfollow the recommendations of the World Health Organisation regarding apossible postponement.
He acknowledged, however, that the cancellation ofqualifying events due to the epidemic was already posing “seriousproblems”.
The issue of qualifying will be a focus of Tuesday’stelephone meeting.At the beginning ofMarch, Bach said the IOC would show “flexibility” regarding thequalifications for the Tokyo and encouraged “all athletes to continue toprepare” for the Games.