Ahead of the much anticipated 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic games, a number of rumours surrounding the cancellation of the international sports event have circulated not only in Japan but all over the world. The said talks stemmed from the proliferation of the 2019 novel corona virus that resulted in alarming outbreaks in some major cities not only in Japan but also in other parts of Asia and other countries across the globe.
Public fears and concerns in this potential global pandemic have lead them to believe that there is a possibility for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic games to be cancelled in order to avoid the situation of spreading the corona virus. However, despite these rumours and the public scare, the organizing committee of the Olympic Games both in Japan and in the international arena have expressed their decision with regard to the conduct of the sports events.
In fact, the Japanese government in cooperation with organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics have undertaken various measures to make sure public safety and the smooth flow of events during the course of the Olympics and Paralympic events.
Prior to the commencement of the Olympic games less than six months from today, there will be a ceremony welcoming the iconic Olympic torch relay. Supposedly, the said event is welcome for the public to participate in. However, in view of recent circumstances surrounding the spread of the novel corona virus, the chief operating officer of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee has expressed his opinion that the Olympic torch relay could be limited in order to avoid the further spread of the virus.
According to Toshiro Muto, the head of the organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics, “Bringing spectators together in large numbers increases the risk of infection. Downsizing is among the approaches we can consider.” But, definitely the events will not be cancelled.
Reference: Olympic organizers consider downsizing torch relay over virus
