IOC faces rising global tide

TOKYO • Olympic squads from various European countries are pushing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to shed immediate clarity on the fate of the Tokyo Games.

The IOC remains adamant that it is still too early to postpone the Summer Games, which are scheduled to start on July 24, and cancellation is not an option despite the global coronavirus pandemic.

But Europe is struggling to contain the contagion. The World Health Organisation recently declared it to be the epicentre of the Covid-19 disease, and not China, where it originated from.

The continent has more cases than China and globally, the number confirmed has doubled to more than 277,000 over the past 12 days.

National teams from France, Germany, Britain and Norway say they are struggling to ensure their athletes can safely train and qualify owing to the proliferation of national lockdowns to slow down its spread.

The four countries are among the worst-hit in Europe and the near-paralysis of society has put their Olympic hopefuls and participants at a severe disadvantage.

Said Michael Schirp, a spokesman for the German Olympic Sports Federation: "Most of the athletes are desperately searching for training facilities but everything has been closed down. Within several weeks, there has to be a decision. It cannot go on for months."

Earlier this week, the French Ministry of Sports told its citizens not to run more than 2km amid other government-imposed restrictions on movement.

Such constraints make it challenging for its athletes to make adequate preparations, said the French National Olympic and Sports Committee.

The British Olympic Association echoed the same sentiments, saying the disease is creating "significant challenges" for training and qualification programmes and "will have a major impact" on the Games.

"Sport is of a secondary importance when it comes to the health and well-being of the population," it added.

The Norwegian Olympic Committee yesterday confirmed it had requested the IOC to postpone the Games until the outbreak was "under firm control on a global scale".

Sofie Olsen, its communications adviser, said the governing body had to "make a decision sooner than later so that everyone can have a fair chance of preparing".

More influential bodies yesterday urged the IOC to review its plans and to open up dialogue channels with athletes.

Brendan Schwab, the executive director of the World Players Association, which counts Fifpro, the world football players' union and the National Basketball Players Association under its umbrella, said athletes' feedback must be considered as they are "most at risk".

"With the world in a pandemic, holding mega sporting events like the Olympics demands a deep review and broader consultations than are occurring now," he added.

The increasing clamour to see some decisiveness from the top has also led to a split among the United States' Olympic fraternity.

While US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) chairman Susanne Lyons was on the same wavelength as IOC president Thomas Bach, insisting a decision on the Games' future need not be rushed as "they're four months from now", her statement was in conflict with USA Swimming and USA Track & Field.

They are the biggest American sports bodies to seek a delay. In a letter to USOPC, USA Track and Field chief executive Max Siegel said yesterday: "We certainly understand the ramifications of this request, and the realities of trying to coordinate the logistics of a postponed Olympic Games...

"But the alternative of moving forward in light of the current global situation would not be in the best interest of our athletes."

A day earlier, USA Swimming chief Tim Hinchey addressed USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland, asking her to advocate for the postponement as "everyone has experienced unimaginable disruptions, mere months before the Games, which calls into question the authenticity of a level playing field for all".

Their stance found support from Bob Bowman, the former coach of the most decorated Olympian Michael Phelps (28 medals) and distance runner Kara Goucher.

In response, the USOPC issued a statement saying it "has total empathy for the athlete community as they manage the terrible anxiety caused by the current lack of certitude regarding the Games".

Hirshland also said that athletes were not unanimously in favour of the Olympics being postponed as there are those "out there for whom this feels like their only opportunity, their last chance".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG, REUTERS