BOA ‘absolutely focused’ on Tokyo 2020 preparations amid coronavirus uncertainty

British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Anson has emphasised preparations for Tokyo 2020 continue despite the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Anson said a planned preparatory trip to Tokyo, with around 55 people travelling, was still set to go ahead as the BOA received information from “every possible source” in a “rapidly evolving situation.”

On Tuesday, Japan’s Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto suggested this summer’s Games could be postponed until later in the year because of the outbreak, but the International Olympic Committee announced it remains committed to staging the event as scheduled between July 24 and August 9.

“At the same time we are getting information from all the relevant bodies, so we have got the most up-to-date information on coronavirus, and it is changing every day as you can see with the news stories.

“But we’re in touch with Public Health England, the World Health Organisation, the IOC, the British Government. We are getting information from every possible source so we can make decisions in real time as we go along.

“It’s obviously a rapidly evolving situation, there’s a lot of uncertainty about where it goes. So our assumption is the Olympics is going to happen, but at the same time we are making sure we are aware of what is going on in the world.

“We are going out to Tokyo a week on Saturday for a detailed operational recce, we’re going to take about 55 people, the team leaders from individual sports. We are still going ahead with that because all of the information we are getting says travel to Japan is safe.

Meanwhile, the PA news agency understands the Premier League has written to each of its 20 clubs regarding the latest contingency plans for combating the spread of the virus.

While there has been no change to fixtures and kick-off times as things stand, it is understood the league, which is liaising daily with the Government’s public health experts, has asked clubs to consider the implications if large gatherings were banned, resulting in games taking place behind closed doors.

It is understood the league’s current message is ‘business as usual’ but that it has advised clubs to increase hygiene levels at stadiums and training grounds, cut down on non-essential visitors and keep face-to-face meetings to a minimum.

Uncertainty over Covid-19 was illustrated on Wednesday by Saracens saying Mako Vunipola had not displayed symptoms of the virus and was available to face Leicester this weekend, despite England having ruled him out of their Six Nations clash with Wales.

The loosehead prop, having flown back from Tonga via Hong Kong, did not join up with Eddie Jones’ squad this week ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations match against Wales at Twickenham.

The Rugby Football Union on Tuesday said that while Vunipola was “not sick”, it was “on medical grounds” that he was not in the camp, and it was understood the prop was in self-isolation as a precaution.

England have revealed that their camp environment influenced the decision.

“Our medical team looks at our team environment, not other people’s, and that’s the advice we followed,” assistant coach Steve Borthwick told BBC 5 live.

“Mako didn’t come into camp on the advice of our medical team, who looked into the situation closely and as a precaution advised us that the best thing for our environment was for him not to come in.”

However, Saracens released a statement on Wednesday which said of Vunipola and his brother and team-mate Billy, who also made the trip: “Neither Billy or Mako have displayed symptoms of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and on their return to London were assessed by the club’s medical staff.

“The duo have been around the Saracens environment for the past couple of days, with the latter available for selection this weekend.”

The statement added: “Travellers returning from Hong Kong are not currently subject to mandatory quarantine or self-isolation unless they become symptomatic.”

Also on Wednesday, it emerged that the Asia Sevens International, which was set to take place on April 25 and 26 and serve as a test event for rugby sevens at the Tokyo Olympics, had been cancelled due to concerns relating to the virus.

A statement from Tokyo 2020 said: “After confirming it is safe to do so, Tokyo 2020 nevertheless will carry out the tests in some form and will consult with the International Olympic Committee, World Rugby and other relevant organisations to determine the content of such tests.

“We will continue to stay in close collaboration with all relevant organisations as we prepare to deliver a safe and secure Tokyo 2020 Games.”

A women’s golf event in Abu Dhabi which was due to start on Friday has been postponed on similar grounds, with a statement on the Twitter feed for the Ladies Open at Yas Links saying the decision had been taken “to ensure the health, safety and well-being of players, guests and visitors.”

On the men’s European Tour, Italy’s Francesco Laporta has been forced out of this week’s Qatar Masters after being faced with two weeks’ quarantine on arriving in Doha.

Under travel restrictions imposed on Sunday, passengers arriving in Doha on direct flights from Italy, or those having been in Italy in the last two weeks, will be taken into quarantine for 14 days.

The Coppa Italia semi-final between Napoli and Inter Milan, which had been scheduled for Thursday evening, has become the latest fixture in Italy to be postponed because of the outbreak while there are reports that Serie A could be ordered to play all of March’s matches behind closed doors.

Cycling outfit Mitchelton-Scott has decided to withdraw its teams from competition until March 22.

The races involved include Strade Bianche for men and women, men’s events at the GP Industria, Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo, and Ronde van Drenthe, Danilith Nokere Koerse and Trofeo Alfredo Binda for women.

“We, as team doctors and the wider team, have a duty of care to protect health and wellbeing of all our riders and staff,” said a Mitchelton-Scott statement.

“We will not have any input into, or control over, the measures that race organisers may or may not put in place to manage the COVID-19 risks.

“We are a moving, international logistical puzzle, with staff and riders travelling between different countries with different health systems and strategies around COVID-19. Constant travel will increase the health risks and make management of logistics, potential quarantine periods, etc, extremely difficult.

“To withdraw any additional impact we as a team, either via illness or injury, may put on national and international health systems and hospitals.

“Whilst we have put in all the preparations and are eager to race, as an organisation we believe this is the best way to ensure we adhere to our duty of care to riders and staff, before returning to business as usual as soon as possible.”