by Alfonz JuckWe really are at the beginning of the CoVid 19 Coronavirus. Events will be cancelled, some events will be postponed. What will happen with the Tokyo Olympics? What will happen with the European Athletics Championships?
There is much misinformation on the Coronavirus. The CDC site on Coronavirus is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Novel Coronavirus, art from CDC
VIRUS NEWS
TOKYO (JPN): Japan’s Olympic minister says the Tokyo 2020 Games could be postponed from the summer until later in the year amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak. In a response to a question in Japan’s parliament, Seiko Hashimoto said Tokyo’s contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “calls for the Games to be held within 2020”. She added that “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement”. Informs the BBC.
LAUSANNE (SUI): The IOC has encouraged athletes to “continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020”, and said it was continuing to follow advice from the World Health Organization. “The IOC Executive Board heard a report on all the measures taken so far to address the coronavirus situation, which was followed by a comprehensive discussion,” the IOC statement said on Tuesday. IOC Presidential spokesperson Mark Adams said possible options should the situation deteriorate had not been discussed. “There is no international travel ban and all the advice that we are getting is that the Games can and will go ahead,” Adams said. “At this precise time we are expecting the Games to begin on the 24th of July.” From insidethegames.
LONDON (GBR): London Marathon is another event which is under scrutiny concerning current situation with the coronavirus. Dailymail.co.uk informs that health minister Matt Hancock admits, the event might be cancelled.
LAUSANNE (SUI): In response to the outbreak of coronavirus disease, European Athletics has established a task force to assess the impact of the disease on athletics events in Europe and to provide advice to athletes, organisers and other stakeholders. Led by European Athletics Medical Commission Chairman Dr Pedro Branco, the European Athletics Coronavirus Task Force held its first meeting by conference call on Monday afternoon (2). The Task Force was set up at the request of European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen who has requested that the group provide regular updates on the evolving situation so that the European Athletics Executive Board can take any necessary decisions.
ATHENS (GRE): The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) has scaled down events around the lighting of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Flame next week but they insist the ceremony in Ancient Olympia will go ahead “with a sense of responsibility for the protection of public health.” A crisis meeting held at HOC headquarters in Athens reached the outcome that a full dress rehearsal scheduled for March 11 in Olympia will take place without spectators.
BARCELONA (ESP): The Barcelona Marathon on 15 March is at high risk of being cancelled according to the Spanish Ministry of Health, informs MARCA.
MONTAUBAN (FRA): The French Cross Country Championships in Montauban to be held this weekend has been cancelled in order to prevent the risk of spreading the coronavirus, informs L’Equipe.
ROME (ITA): The Rome-Ostia Half Marathon on 8 March has been cancelled due to the spread of the coronavirus, informs FIDAL. “The medical-health evaluations from the competent bodies have prompted to evaluate the unfolding of the Roma Ostia Half Marathon as inappropriate,” read a press release issued by the Municipality of Rome. The Festa del Cross on 14-15 March has also been postponed until the autumn.
