Australian Olympic committee says they WON’T be pulling out of the Tokyo 2020 Games  

Australian Olympic committee says they WON’T be pulling out of the Tokyo 2020 Games

  • Australian Olympic committee says the Tokyo 2020 Games will be going ahead 

The Australian Olympic committee says they won’t be pulling out of the Tokyo 2020 Games.  

The AOC says the International Olympic Committee has provided fresh assurances that the 2020 Games will start in July despite widespread concerns over the outbreak of coronavirus.

‘We owe it to our Australian athletes to do everything we can to ensure they will participate with the best opportunity in those Games,’ AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said. 

The Australian Olympic committee says they won’t be pulling out of the Tokyo 2020 Games

Despite the rapid spread of the killer disease and several countries going into lockdown, Japan refuses to postpone the event that will last from July 24 to August 9.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) declared on Wednesday that they were committed to staging the global event which will house around 11,000 athletes.

Mr Carroll said the dates would not yet be changed after speaking with the IOC during a conference call with other national Olympic committees. 

‘It’s not a competition that’s going to start tomorrow. It doesn’t go all year, it is four months away,’ he told 7 News.

‘At this stage the games are on.

‘The IOC are guided by two principals in their decision making – they are not living in a bubble, they know what is happening around the world, obviously they have family and friends like the rest of us.’

Mr Carroll along with Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said they would continue to focus on planning the event.

‘There is a global health crisis. We recognise that people are suffering, people are sick, people are losing their jobs, businesses are struggling, amid enormous community uncertainty. Things are changing every day,’ Mr Carroll told reporters.

‘The IOC, like all of us, are basing their planning on what they know and are receiving the best advice.’  

Mr Chesterman said the needs of the athletes came first. 

‘I always try to look through the eyes of athletes, athletes who worked for four years, eight years, 12 and more in some cases, and they want their Olympic moment,’ he said during the press conference.

Many have questioned whether or not the Tokyo 2020 games would go ahead after the global pandemic forced many sporting competitions to be suspended (Pictured: Australian swim team at London 2012 Olympic Games)

Many have questioned whether or not the Tokyo 2020 games would go ahead after the global pandemic forced many sporting competitions to be suspended (Pictured: Australian swim team at London 2012 Olympic Games)

‘For many this will be their only opportunity to be at an Olympic Games.

‘If everybody is planning for the Games, we must plan for the Games as well, because that’s our obligation to the athletes.

‘We know the athletes also want to be there. We need to be able to deliver them safely and get them home safe safely.’

The announcement comes after several sporting leagues were cancelled amid growing fears of the virus. 

America’s major sports leagues including basketball, ice hockey and baseball were all suspended this month while the Australian rugby league competition is going ahead without any spectators.

Only half of the athletes expected to compete have qualified due to lockdown measures stopping them from training.

More to come. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk