GGOLFOLF | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 5 Full steam Players face ahead for backlash over Ryder Cup, says quick tests as Harrington others wait Friday, March 20, 2020 FOOTBALL Rajab 25, 1441 AH Caputo, the voice GULF TIMES of optimism in Italian football SPORT Page 7 FOCUS Moving Olympics possible, too soon to decide on World Athletics chief admits ensuring a level playing field for athletes during cancellation: Coe preparations may not be possible Tokyo organisers receive fl ame for troubled Olympics in low-key aff air Greek Sports Minister and Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos (left) hands the Olympic torch over to former Japanese swimmer Naoko Imoto in Athens, Greece, yesterday. (Reuters) Reuters ity horseshoe-shaped marble Athens, Greece stadium. The flame was then transferred into a small receptacle to travel okyo 2020 organisers to Japan aboard a special air- Treceived the Olympic craft named “Tokyo 2020 Go.” flame in a scaled-down Only a few dozen off icials were handover ceremony in the allowed into the central Athens Greek capital yesterday, amid stadium as the country has Reuters Europe has become the new we can to drill down on that. the coronavirus spread that imposed strict measures to London, United Kingdom epicentre of the fl u-like virus “Some are not able to train has cast doubt on the global, contain the spread of the virus. that originated in China late last properly, some are not able to ac- multi-billion dollar event. The eerie mood during the year and restrictions on move- cess public tracks or indoor facil- In a brief ceremony closed to ceremony, which normally at- orld Athletics chief ment in several nations have hit ities and we’re working to try and spectators in Athens’ Panath- tracts thousands of Athenians Sebastian Coe the training plans of athletes help them fi nd these facilities.” enaic stadium, site of the first and visitors, reflected the Wsaid yesterday that ahead of Games. The virus has infected nearly modern Games in 1896, the problems facing Tokyo 2020, moving the 2020 IOC president Thomas Bach 219,000 people globally and torch was received by Tokyo with athletes and national Tokyo Olympics to September or said they heard athletes’ con- caused more than 8,900 deaths Games representative Naoko Olympic committees question- October due to the coronavirus cerns on health and preparation so far, sparking concerns over the Imoto. ing whether the Games should outbreak was a possibility but it but Coe said ensuring a level viability of the Games. It will arrive in Japan today be held this year. was too soon to take a decision on playing fi eld for athletes during Coe, the driving force behind and kick off a domestic relay Despite the IOC’s commitment whether to cancel the Games. preparations may not be possible the success of London 2012 as on March 26, with the Games to the Games, several athletes While most of world sport has but it is a challenge World Ath- chairman of the organising com- set to take place from July have cast doubt on the quality come to a standstill due to the letics will strive to overcome. mittee, said the problem faced by 24-August 9. of competitions in Tokyo, given pandemic, the International Ol- “Recent evidence suggests the Tokyo Games was bigger than A six-day torch relay through that thousands cannot train at ympic Committee (IOC) has re- China seems to be pulling out of the mass boycott of the 1980 Greece was cancelled last the moment due to restrictions mained committed to staging the this but if you’re living in Europe, Moscow Olympics. week, with the country largely placed upon them in many Tokyo Games as planned from you’re an Italian distance run- “I lived through Moscow and in lockdown having recorded countries. July 24-August 9 despite grow- In this September 26, 2019, picture, IAAF president Sebastian Coe ner and you’re confi ned to your that was a crisis... This has prob- 418 cases of the virus and five Tokyo Games chief Yoshiro ing dissent. speaks at a press conference at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, house, that’s a massive chal- ably exercised more thinking deaths. Mori said in a video message “Let’s not make a precipitous Qatar. (USA TODAY Sports) lenge,” Coe told The Times in an time and expended more eff ort The scale of the spreading he hoped the flame’s arrival decision when we don’t have to earlier interview. for federations than anything I coronavirus, which has infect- would help lift Japan’s spirits. four months out,” Coe told BBC moved to September or October. have but there is not a great deal “Our sport has always been can remember,” Coe added. ed more than 200,000 people “Tokyo 2020 commits to be Sport. “Events are changing by the of information. about fairness and a level playing “We’re doing everything we and killed more than 8,700 in readiness for the Games as “If you had to ease that date, hour but it is not a decision that “The temperature in the room fi eld so we shouldn’t feel ashamed possibly can to get our sport and across the world, has forced planned...,” Mori said. “The con- you’d have to ease it. It’s possible, has to be made at the moment. with the IOC is, nobody is saying to set that as our ambition. The re- our athletes into the best possible the cancellation of numer- cept of the Tokyo relay is ‘Hope anything is possible,” he added We’re trying to manage the situ- we’re going to the Games come ality is that may not be possible in shape through a challenging time ous sporting events, raising lights our way’. I hope that the when asked if the Games could be ation with the information we what may.” every case but we want to do what and get to an Olympic Games.” concerns about whether the light will shine on the hearts of Olympics will be able to open people all over in Japan and that as planned. will shake off the dark clouds The International Olympic hanging over the earth.” JOC board member says Olympics should be postponed: Nikkei Committee (IOC) and the Japa- The plane carrying the flame nese government, however, will land at JASDF Matsushima Reuters because of the coronavirus sive cancellations of sporting letes at risk. Off icials at the JOC were not im- have insisted the Games will Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture Nikkei Tokyo, Japan pandemic, the newspaper events and qualifiers has raised She said that she plans to raise mediately available for comment. go ahead and have publicly today. reported yesterday. questions over the plans, includ- this at a JOC board meeting One IOC member has called rejected any talk of cancella- The domestic relay will start The International Olympic Com- ing among athletes. scheduled for March 27. the group “irresponsible” for tion or postponement. from Fukushima Prefecture, apan Olympic Commit- mittee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 Yamaguchi, who won a judo “As far as I can see in news from insisting on holding the Games Greece’s Olympic Committee site of the 2011 earthquake Jtee board member Kaori organisers have repeatedly bronze medal at the Seoul the United States and Europe, as scheduled, while several ath- chief Spyros Capralos handed and tsunami, and will last for Yamaguchi has said the said that the Tokyo Games, due Games in 1988, was quoted by athletes aren’t in a position letes have said the IOC decision over the lit torch to the Japa- 121 days. It is planned to end at Tokyo Olympics should be to start on July 24, will run as the paper as saying that the where they can continue their puts athletes’ health at risk. nese former Olympic swimmer the Games’ opening ceremony postponed because athletes are scheduled. However, the spread IOC’s insistence on holding the training as usual,” she was The Tokyo Olympics are due to Imoto in front of empty stands with the lighting of the Olym- unable to prepare adequately of the coronavirus and succes- Games as scheduled will put ath- quoted as saying. run from July 24 to August 9. inside the vast 50,000-capac- pic cauldron. Gulf Times 2 Friday, March 20, 2020 SPORT FOCUS COMMENT Holding Tokyo Games as scheduled Athletes still setting is a disservice to the world: Wickenheiser Reuters to people in the world fi rst of all, sights on Tokyo and then athletes secondly who Moscow, Russia are trying to prepare,” Wicken- heiser told Reuters from self- ix-time Olympian Hayley isolation in Toronto. Wickenheiser said that “Humanity fi rst, and sport al- Sholding this year’s Ol- ways follows.” ympics as planned in July Wickenheiser, winner of four despite virus: Olsson and August would be a disservice Olympic gold medals, said ath- to athletes and the general popu- letes around the world will not lation considering the coronavi- be prepared to compete in the ‘As an athlete, focus is like a laser beam on (a big season)... but there are more factors’ rus pandemic is sweeping around Olympics because lockdowns, the world. self-isolation measures and glo- The virus has brought global bal travel restrictions are derail- sport to a virtual standstill, with ing their training plans and pre- major events being postponed Olympic competitions. or cancelled as cases of the virus “If you are going to the Olym- grow. pics… you want to go there in But organisers of the Tokyo the best frame of mind possible Olympics have repeatedly said knowing that you were able to do the Games, scheduled to take all the training that you could,” place from July 24 to August 9, she said.