Coronavirus could disrupt Tokyo Olympics but Governor Yuriko Koike tells London to back off

London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey said the city could host the Summer Olympics if the coronavirus epidemic gets worse

But the Tokyo governor blasted the offer, pointing out that the Diamond Princess, which has more than 600 coronavirus cases, is a British ship

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike has hit back at a candidate to be London mayor who offered to host this year's Olympics due to the coronavirus epidemic affecting Japan. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:43pm, 21 Feb 2020Updated: 9:07pm, 21 Feb 2020

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike hit back on Friday at a candidate to be London mayor who offered to host this year’s Olympics due to the coronavirus epidemic affecting Japan.

“London can host the Olympics in 2020. We have the infrastructure and the experience. And due to the coronavirus outbreak, the world might need us to step up,” tweeted Shaun Bailey.

“As mayor, I will make sure London is ready to answer the call and host the Olympics again,” he added. London has hosted the Games in 2012, 1948 and 1908.

Shaun Bailey, a candidate for the 2020 London mayoral election. Photo: Reuters

A spokesman for London’s incumbent mayor Sadiq Khan told the CityAM newspaper: “Everyone is working towards what will be a fantastic Tokyo Games. “In the unlikely event that it be required, London, as it has done throughout history, will do its best to step up to the plate.”

But in rare undiplomatic comments, Koike blasted Bailey’s offer, saying it is “not appropriate to try to make it an issue in a mayoral election”.