Tokyo 2020: ‘No postponement’ as Hong Kong backs IOC’s pledge to stage Olympic Games on schedule despite coronavirus threat

Hong Kong athletes can put their minds at ease and focus fully on their Tokyo ambitions after local officials backed a statement by the International Olympic Committee saying the 2020 Games will go ahead as scheduled despite the global coronavirus crisis.

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, vice-president of the Hong Kong Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC), said he welcomed the statement from the IOC, which is under pressure to clarify its position on the Olympics (July 24 to August 9) as the spread of the coronavirus plays havoc with sports events and qualifying tournaments for Tokyo 2020.

“I’m supportive of the IOC releasing the statement committing to the Games in July after much, in my view, premature speculation during the past week,” Fok told the Post. “The athletes are at the centre of the Games and what they need leading up to it is clarity and certainty, and it is unfair to them otherwise.

“Here at home, it will be good to know the athletes’ training will be on schedule and many are still competing to qualify, that is the most important thing now.”

Track cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze is among a handful of Hong Kong athletes with medal ambitions in Tokyo, with the IOC’s statement coming amid speculation the Games could be postponed to later in the year because of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Coronavirus: Olympics could be postponed, Tokyo says

More than 90,000 people have been infected since January and almost 3,200 have died, most of them in China. Japan had 294 cases as of Wednesday with six deaths.

“The International Olympic Committee executive board (IOC EB) today expressed its full commitment to the success of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, taking place from 24 July to 9 August, 2020,” the IOC said in its statement on Tuesday.

“The IOC EB heard a report on all the measures taken so far to address the coronavirus situation, which was followed by a comprehensive discussion.

“A joint task force had already been created in mid-February, involving the IOC, Tokyo 2020, the host city of Tokyo, the government of Japan and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The IOC EB appreciates and supports the measures being taken, which constitute an important part of Tokyo’s plans to host safe and secure Games.

“The IOC EB encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The IOC will keep supporting the athletes by providing the latest information and developments.”

On Tuesday, the Italian Cup semi-final between Juventus and AC Milan was postponed while men’s tennis body the ATP cancelled or postponed six tournaments on the Challenger Tour in China, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Spain.

MotoGP events in Qatar and Thailand have also been cancelled as dozens of other international events suffer the same fate around the world.

In Hong Kong, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens and Art Basel are among the major sports and cultural events affected by the virus.

Hong Kong Sevens postponed until October as city battles virus

Fok said SF&OC officials would continue to monitor the situation and be guided by IOC and WHO directives. He said the body was equipped to manage the health threat in terms of movement of its athletes as it was during the Zika virus scare that cast a cloud over the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“At the SF&OC, the athletes’ health and safety is our priority and we are committed all the way to support them leading up to or during the Games,” said Fok.

“We will surely be discussing the issue at upcoming meetings to ensure adequate resources and precautions are in place to support them, just like when we were faced with the Zika virus back in the 2016 Rio Games.”