Tokyo 2020 chaos: China likely to follow IOC lead, says Asia official – ‘athletes interest takes priority over broadcast rights and sponsorship’
- Wei Jizhong says the IOC is in a difficult position, with thousands of athletes having prepared for at least four years for the Tokyo Games
- He said the Chinese Olympic Committee is unlikely to follow Canada and Australia and pull out of the Games
China is unlikely to break ranks with the International Olympic Committee and pull out of the Tokyo Olympics, according to a former high-ranking Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) official, adding that the interests of athletes should take priority over broadcast rights and sponsorship.
Wei Jizhong, honorary life president of the Olympic Council of Asia, said China would follow IOC guidelines as the Olympic body comes under increasing pressure to postpone the 2020 Games amid the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Canada became the first country to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics because of the ravaging effects of the virus, followed quickly by Australia.
“The Chinese Olympic Committee will follow the IOC,” said Wei, former secretary general of the COC. “The IOC is facing a very difficult decision, either way it will cause issues.
“The problem is that we should first think about the athletes. They have prepared for at least four years for these Olympics and if we delay it by one or two years, most of these athletes would have lost their chance.
