Tokyo 2020: Hong Kong will stand by IOC decision on postponing Olympics
- Hong Kong Olympic Committee will not follow Canada and Australia in pulling out of Games
- Official says there is still time for situation to improve but they will respect the decision of individual athletes
Hong Kong will stand by the International Olympic Committee over any decision on postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, but athletes’ health will still be their first concern.
Hong Kong Olympic Committee honorary secretary-general Ronnie Wong Man-chiu said they are targeting to send a team in July in accordance with the IOC direction and it would be too early to make a decision like counterparts Canada.
On Monday, Canada said they would not send athletes to compete in Tokyo if the Games – set to begin on July 24 – go ahead as scheduled. Australia also said they would not prepare a team for Tokyo this year.
“There are still four months to go before the Games and we are still working on the same schedule with a hope that the epidemic development could be taken under control,” Wong said.
“We understand Canada are under a very serious coronavirus condition and they have their own concerns. There are over 200 national Olympic committees all over the world and we don’t know if more countries will follow but not Hong Kong, at least at this moment.
