With the rapid spread of the coronavirus all around the globe, people have begun to question the safety of continuing with this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games. Japan’s Olympics minister, Hashimoto Seiko, has expressed his concerns relating to the outbreak, saying that it may result in the postponement of the Games. As of now, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) remains on schedule, assuring that the Games will go on ahead as planned.  

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams addressed the issue on Tuesday, stating, “No, we’ve made a decision. And the decision is that the Games go ahead. That was made some time ago. We see no reason to change that decision. There we are.”

Nonetheless, the IOC is already facing some major setbacks. One of them being that Sapporo, the Japanese city meant to host the Olympic marathon, has recently been declared as being in a state of emergency. Residents have been urged to stay inside of their homes to prevent further spread of the virus, according to the Evening Standard. Consequently, sporting events across Japan have been held in empty stadiums, without spectators. 

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has asked for the public’s help to combat the coronavirus outbreak, hoping that it may be enough to ensure that the Olympic Games are staged on schedule, from July 24 to Aug. 9. 

“To be frank, we cannot win this battle through the efforts of the government alone,” Prime Minister Abe said. “I have decided we must make all efforts in the next one or two weeks to prevent the spread” of the virus.

At present, there have been over 940 confirmed cases of the infection in Japan, a majority of which were reported from the British-registered Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined near Yokohama last month, resulting in the death of 6 people on board. 

Meanwhile, outside of Japan, numerous high-profile sporting events have been cancelled or postponed. This includes the 2020 World Indoor Athletics Championships and the Chinese Grand Prix. Athletes such as four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome and the veteran sprinter Mark Cavendish were among hundreds of cyclists to be confined in their hotel rooms and tested for the virus. Fortunately, all of the athletes returned negative tests. 

Thierry Vittu, president of the French team Cofidis, has accused the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) of holding these athletes “against their will” and treating them like “plague victims.”

Vittu further stated: “This situation is not normal. We’re being held against our will in a place we didn’t choose and for an unknown length of time. We are treated like plague victims; our rooms have not been made since we arrived five days ago.”

With all this uncertainty surrounding this year’s Olympic Games, the final decision on whether to proceed or delay the Tokyo Olympics will be announced by May at the latest, according to veteran IOC member Dick Pound. If the conditions prove too dangerous, Japan has insisted that the Games not be canceled but rather, delayed until the outbreak settles.

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