LAUSANNE: With less than five months to go before the Tokyo Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach plans emergency talks with member organizations, sources close to the IOC said on Sunday (Monday in Manila). The IOC plans a conference call on Tuesday to “keep the international federations informed of the situation, as well as the National Olympic Committees and athletes,” one source close to the IOC told AFP. Thomas Bach said on Thursday that his organization would follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization regarding a possible postponement. He acknowledged, however, that the cancellation of qualifying events due to the epidemic was already posing “serious problems”. At the beginning of March, Bach said the IOC would show “flexibility” regarding the qualifications for the Tokyo and encouraged “all athletes to continue to prepare” for the Games.

Source: Manila Times March 16, 2020 16:07 UTC