2020 Tokyo Olympics: Australia Reveals Plans To Get Athletes To Japan 'Coronavirus Free'
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) says there’s no doubt Australian athletes want to compete in the 2020 Toyko Olympics, but as travel and mass gathering bans kick in, it’s unclear whether plans for the July sporting event will go ahead.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, AOC’s CEO Matt Carroll said he’s waiting for advice from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the coronavirus crisis continues 16 weeks ahead of the opening ceremony.
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“We remain focused on the planning and preparation of the Australian team to the Tokyo Games, for 14 July opening in four months’ time,” he said.
Emphasising the “AOC is not in a bubble”, Carroll said, “we recognise that people are suffering”, and “the health and wellbeing of Australian athletes is the priority” for the committee.
“The AOC put questions to the IOC centred wellbeing and health of athletes which will be answered in coming weeks. We want to get them there safely and get them home safely.”
The Australian team’s chef de mission, Ian Chesterton, said the Toyko Games may be the “only opportunity” for some athletes to compete in the Olympics after years of hard training.
“As Matt [Carroll] said, the clear message from our Japanese friends is the games will continue,” he told reporters.
“So 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...
