Kenya pushes on Olympics praparations despite threat to postpone Tokyo Games

NAIROBI - Kenya team is preparing for the Tokyo Olympic Games without concerns of possible disruption or postponement of the same owing to the threat of coronavirus.

Waithaka Kioni, the Chief de Mission of Kenya Olympic team, said on Tuesday in Nairobi that it is only the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that can rule on the postponement or cancelation of the Games.

In the meantime, Kenya will continue to prepare for the trip to Tokyo as if there is no threat from the Coronavirus.

"We had our meeting today to deliberate on the threat of coronavirus and we agreed to wait for the report from IOC at the end of the week," Kioni told Xinhua in Nairobi. "It is up to IOC and the Organizers to shed more light on the issue."

Thomas Bach, IOC president, said preparations were still underway for "successful" Games in Tokyo. The games budget is estimated at 12.51 billion US dollars.

Kioni noted that Kenya continues with its preparations with 87 athletes so far having secured their qualification in athletics, boxing, rugby and volleyball.

Kioni added that there are still high hopes the Kenya team will surpass the 100 mark. Kenya had 89 athletes in Rio 2016 Games winning 13 medals - six gold, six silver and one bronze.

"We are not in position to discuss the coronavirus issues. The IOC has promised to update us and until then we wait. We are preparing for the Olympics with high optimism that the virus will be contained and Games go on undisrupted," Kioni added.

"On Wednesday our beach volleyball team will be in Abuja for the qualifiers, we also have hopes to secure more slots in karate, judo, badminton, swimming and archery," added Kioni.

Japan's Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto said on Tuesday, amid concern the coronavirus could disrupt the event noting that Tokyo's Olympic 2020 contract allows it to postpone the Games until the end of the year.

"The contract calls for the Games to be held within 2020. That could be interpreted as allowing a postponement," said in response to a lawmaker's question in parliament.

However, Japan's government and host city Tokyo were still committed to hosting the Games, due to begin on July 24, she added.

And under the hosting agreement, the right to cancel the Games belongs to the IOC.