Former Commonwealth Games advisor wants Olympics delayed
What you need to know:
- Rao noted that by their inaction and persistence that the Games go on, the IOC and the organisers of the Tokyo Games also show great disrespect and lack of sympathy for the dead, their relatives and friends who may include athletes.
- “As uncertainty continues to hang over the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, we at the Nock are following all the developments closely,” said Nock Secretary General Francis Mutuku said.
Former Commonwealth Games Federation Legal Advisor, Sharad Rao, has called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games over the spread of the Coronavirus.
World Athletics has also called for the postponement of the Games as Canada moved to withdraw from the Summer Games, with Australia telling its sportsmen and women to prepare for a possible Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe conceded on Monday that postponing the Olympics over the coronavirus pandemic may become "inevitable" and back home, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) and Athletics Kenya (AK) adopted the wait-and-see attitude.
Rao said that the IOC and Tokyo should not dilly-dally anymore and should announce the postponement without further delay.
Rao noted that World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe has called for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed, adding that holding the Games in July 2020 was "neither feasible nor desirable" because of the global crisis.
“Nock and Athletics Kenya should echo his call that you cannot hold the Olympics ‘at all costs, certainly not at the cost of the athlete’s safety,” said Rao in a statement.
Rao noted that Coe is empathic that the world we can no longer expect a fair and level playing field in our sport given the number of athletes who are struggling to train in various countries due to measures put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“How does IOC expect athletes in countries so adversely affected especially countries like such Italy, Spain and Iran among others to train in an atmosphere where hundreds have died around them?” posed Rao.
Rao noted that by their inaction and persistence that the Games go on, the IOC and the organisers of the Tokyo Games also show great disrespect and lack of sympathy for the dead, their relatives and friends who may include athletes.
“As uncertainty continues to hang over the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, we at the Nock are following all the developments closely,” said Nock Secretary General Francis Mutuku said.
“We are constantly receiving updates from the IOC, who are still assessing the situation not only in Japan but the world over.
Mutuku said they are also cognizant of the fact that the government has invoked the Public Safety Act, which is now in force and 'we are subject to it'.
“IOC has invited presentations from NOCs of the World on matter of Olympics and especially the Qualifiers which are now on hold," said Mutuku, adding that their immediate challenge in Kenya is to fight the pandemic following the announcement of 16 positive cases.
“Our position remains strongly to play safe and stop the spread. We have joined hands with athletes in the fight against the COVID-19,” explained Mutuku, who thanked the athletes who have supported their campaign to sensitise the public through individual responsibility and influence of their local environments by taking leadership in this matter.
