As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the world, Tokyo Olympics organisers received a boost Thursday with World Athletics president Sebastian Coe's assumption that track and field would take place at the Games.
There is growing concern that the Tokyo Games, scheduled for July 24-August 9, will be either postponed or even cancelled as the outbreak of COVID-19 spreads.
A multitude of sporting events have been either cancelled or postponed as public health authorities worldwide move to contain the virus, of which there have been more than 127,000 cases recorded in 115 countries and territories, killing 4,687 people, according to an AFP tally.
World Athletics had already been forced to postpone the world indoor championships in the Chinese city of Nanjing until March 2021. The world half-marathon champs in Poland have been pushed back to October and a number of marathons across the world have been cancelled.
"On the broader picture of what does the remaining element of the season look like, it will be a challenge for everybody," Coe told AFP in an interview in Monaco.
"We are working on the assumption that we will be in Tokyo where our sport will be able to flourish.
"We are planning to be in Tokyo. There are no contingencies."
"This has posed challenges almost wherever you look in our sport."
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