President of the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC), Abner Xoagub, yesterday maintained that the country’s preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will continue as planned, despite the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
The world over, countries have been reconsidering and putting their Tokyo Olympics participation in the spotlight as the outbreak of COVID-19 virus forced the cancellation of sports activities in countries like Italy, Iran and the United States. But organisers of the multi-sport Games have in recent weeks insisted that Olympics and Paralympics, scheduled for the summer, are not in danger of being scrapped. Briefing the local media on the Namibian situation regarding the coronavirus-threatened Olympics, Xoagub said the NNOC, through its mother body the International Olympic Committee (ICO), has been working hand in glove with the World Health Organization (WHO) and have been afloat with all developments around the Olympics and the deadly virus.
“For now, we will continue with our plans and preparations for the Olympics. We have been in touch with our athletes and we have encouraged them to push ahead with their qualification efforts. For those [who are] still trying to qualify or have already qualified, [they] have been advised to move ahead with preparations as initially planned. So, Namibia remains on track as far as the Tokyo Olympics are concerned but, in the event, we are advised otherwise by both the IOC and WHO. We will revert back to the nation and to all our athletes on the way forward. But for now, we continue as planned,” said Xoagib.
Just recently, senior IOC member Dick Pound told AFP there has been no discussion about a possible cancellation of the games over the COVID-19 outbreak. Pound said the IOC would only seek to rearrange the Tokyo Games if given specific advice to do so by international authorities. So far, Pound said, the IOC has not discussed the possibility of axing the games.
– ohembapu@nepc.com.na