Tokyo Olympic organizers are trying to shoot down rumors that this year's 2020 Games might be canceled or postponed because of the spread of a new virus.
Japan so far has reported no deaths from the coronavirus that has killed more than 200 people in China. Tokyo organizers told AP they “have never discussed cancelling the games.” The IOC told AP that preparations ”continue as planned." The Olympics will open in a little under six months, on July 24.
Rumors of a cancellation have spread on social media in Japan amid reports that the Swiss-based IOC had met with the World Health Organization about the outbreak.
Many qualifying events for the upcoming games have been cancelled, postponed or moved.
The international ski federation canceled the first World Cup races scheduled for the mountain venue where the sport will be held during the 2022 Beijing Olympics. A men's downhill had been scheduled for Feb. 15 in Yanqing to start a two-race weekend, but was cancelled.
“Due to the outbreak and continuing spread of the Novel Coronavirus, FIS, the Chinese Ski Association and its Yanqing Local Organizing Committee, have jointly decided to cancel,” FIS said in a statement to the Associated Press.
The ski federation said it would advise later if the downhill and super-G races will be be rescheduled.
Games in China next week in field hockey's women's Pro League have also been postponed. Olympic qualifying events scheduled in China in February in soccer, basketball and boxing have been moved elsewhere to Australia and Serbia.
The WHO has called the virus a global emergency.
The Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the main reason for the declaration is not because of what's happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries.
He added that their greatest concern "is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it."
In total, there have now been 7,834 confirmed cases, with 99% of those occurring in China, health officials said.
"We must remember that these are people, not numbers," Dr. Tedros added. The WHO called on countries to implement prevention measures that are evidence-based and consistent, but added there is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade.