Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee Executive Board member Kaori Yamaguchi has said that the Olympic Games this year should not be organised on the July 24-August 9 schedule “if the people across the world can’t enjoy themselves”.
A former Japanese judoka, Kaori has also taken on the International Olympic Committee for asking the athletes to train as usual in spite of the Coronavirus pandemic.
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IOC president Thomas Bach in a communique earlier this week has stated that “any speculation at this moment would be counterproductive. The I.O.C. encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as best they can”.
Kaori, in a sharp reaction to Bach’s statement, has told Japanese publication Nikkei that the IOC was “putting athletes at risk” by asking them to continue to train, as usual, in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Unlike other sporting events, the Olympics symbolize the ideal that sports bring about world peace. We should not hold (the Games) if people across the world can’t enjoy themselves,” said Kaori, one of the 23-member Tokyo 2020 Executive Board.
“As far as I can tell, athletes in the United States and Europe are unable to train as normal and finish their qualifying matches. That makes it impossible for them to appear well prepared at the start, with all the associated risks.”
Athletes worldwide are raising concerns about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games amidst the mounting fears about Coronavirus, which till date has affected more than 2.44 lakh people worldwide and taken over 10,000 human lives. In Japan alone, 923 positive cases and 32 deaths have been confirmed.
Chief national coach of the Indian badminton team Pullela Gopichand as also asked for the Games to be deferred to protect players from the unwarranted threat. US gymnast
gymnast Colin Van Wicklen to has raised similar concerns.
