By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said that whether the Games in Tokyo are at any risk or not, in light of the emergence of the coronavirus, is something that will be decided until May.
“You could certainly go to two months out if you had to. A lot of things have to start happening. You’ve got to start ramping up your security, your food, the Olympic Village, the hotels, The media folks will be in there building their studios,” Pound said in an interview to the Associated Press.
He mentioned “you’re probably looking at a cancellation.” in case the Olympic Committee sees, until May, that the Games shouldn’t be held.
The basketball tournament of the 2020 Olympics will feature 12 teams. 2008, 2012 and 2016 gold medalist USA, Argentina, Australia, France, Iran, Japan and reigning world champion Spain have already qualified to the tournament. Four more teams will emerge from the Qualifiers that will be held in late June.
Right now, there are no signs that the Games will have to be canceled based on the advice that IOC gets from health institutions. “It doesn’t call for cancellation or postponement of the Olympics. You just don’t postpone something on the size and scale of the Olympics. There’s so many moving parts, so many countries and different seasons, and competitive seasons, and television seasons. You can’t just say, we’ll do it in October.”
In regards to the athletes participating in the games, Pound said: “As far as we all know you’re going to be in Tokyo. “All indications are at this stage that it will be business as usual. So keep focused on your sport and be sure that the IOC is not going to send you into a pandemic situation.”