2020 Tokyo Olympics President: No Plans to Delay Games Because of Coronavirus

Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee, has confirmed there is "no plan" to suspend the Games because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The COVID-19 virus has severely disrupted sporting calendars around the globe in recent weeks, prompting fears the Olympics would be affected in the summer.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mori said the Games are scheduled to go ahead as planned, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). 

"There is no plan now to change our plans," he said, referencing comments published Tuesday from organising committee member Haruyuki Takahashi, who said the Games should be suspended for one or two years. "I have spoken to Mr. Takahashi, and he has apologised. He certainly said an outlandish thing."

Mori added that Takahashi was speaking for himself and not the rest of the committee, noting that he doesn't have a day-to-day involvement in the body.

Takahashi told the Wall Street Journal (h/t Kyodo News), "I don't think the games could be canceled, it'd be a delay."

The Tokyo Games are scheduled to run from July 24 to August 9, with the Paralympics following from August 25 to September 6. The Olympic flame will be lit on Thursday at a ceremony in Greece, where just 100 guests have been invited by the International Olympic Committee.

Japan's Olympic minister, Seiko Hashimoto, said in early March a contract with the IOC "calls for the Games to be held within 2020" and that "could be interpreted as allowing a postponement."

Unsurprisingly, the spread of coronavirus is having a big impact on the preparations for the Games, regardless of the organisers' confidence that they will go ahead as planned.

AFP shared the following footage, illustrating how athletes in China, the country where the virus was first discovered, are having their training regimes disrupted: 

Some major sporting events in China have already been postponed, including the Formula One Grand Prix. 

Per the Guardian, the organisers of the Olympic qualifying tournament for boxing have confirmed the event will go ahead as planned this weekend in London.