IOC stands firm on Tokyo Games

Olympic body’s head Bach commits to staging sporting extravaganza on time.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday gave further unequivocal backing to this summer's Tokyo Olympics, urging athletes to prepare "full steam" despite the coronavirus threat.

"We are preparing for a successful Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020," IOC head Thomas Bach said at an executive board meeting to discuss the July 24-Aug 9 sporting extravaganza.

Earlier on Tuesday, Japan's Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto had said that details within Tokyo's contract with the IOC "could be interpreted as allowing a postponement" until the end of the year.

That host city contract states that one of several triggers which would allow the IOC to withdraw the Games from Tokyo would be if "the Games are not celebrated during the year 2020".

Hashimoto said, however, that Japan's government and Tokyo were still committed to the Games beginning on July 24, and the IOC has repeatedly swatted aside any suggestions of a postponement.

Crowds will be smaller and receptions have been scrapped at the Tokyo 2020 torch-lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia, Greece, next week as the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) introduced measures to protect against the coronavirus, it said on Tuesday.

Despite concerns over possible health risks to spectators and participants at the Games, the Olympic body is unwilling to publicly discuss any other option, such as cancellation or postponement.

"No," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said when asked if the Olympic body had discussed possible options if the situation deteriorates.

"There is no international travel ban and all the advice that we are getting is that the Games can and will go ahead," Adams said.