TOKYO (AFP, REUTERS) - Tokyo Olympics organisers said preparations were "continuing as planned" on Tuesday (Feb 25) as Japan's football league became the latest sporting victim of the coronavirus, just five months before the Games.
The J-League added to jitters around the Olympics as it called off domestic football until mid-March, starting with seven cup games scheduled for Wednesday, as fears of a pandemic grow.
The death toll from the flu-like virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has exceeded 2,600 while more than 80,000 have been infected. Japan has about 850 cases, mostly from a cruise ship, and has recorded four deaths from the disease named Covid-19.
The J-League said the decision to postpone Wednesday's matches was part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
"The J-League will make maximum efforts to prevent infection and prevent its spread," it said in a statement.
But Tokyo Games organisers said cancelling the July 24-Aug 9 Olympics, which will draw millions of fans and tourists, as well as thousands of athletes and officials, had never been discussed.
"We have never discussed cancelling the Games," said a Tokyo 2020 statement sent to AFP. "Preparations for the Games are continuing as planned."
Officials are exercising caution, nonetheless. Training for Olympic volunteers was suspended over the weekend, and Sunday's Tokyo marathon has been closed to all but elite runners.
The spread of the coronavirus has forced the cancellation of many sports events in recent weeks, including Serie A football matches in Italy.
The Vietnam International Challenge badminton, an Olympic qualifier, was shifted from late March to early June, the Badminton World Federation said on Tuesday.
Japan Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said it was too early to talk about cancelling the Olympics, which start on July 24, due to the coronavirus.
Questions have risen about whether the Olympics should be moved or cancelled, with one London mayoral candidate saying the British capital was ready to host the games if needed.
The International Olympic Committee has said it had been advised by the World Health Organisation that there is no case for contingency plans to cancel or relocate the Games.
