LAUSANNE, March 12 -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is focused on ensuring athlete have fair access to qualification events for Tokyo 2020 and is supporting relevant Internation Federations to create fair alternatives to lost qualification opportunities, the IOC said in an statement on Thursday.
The statement from the IOC to Olympians published on Athlete365, a digital platform for global Olympians and elite athletes, provided updates on the coronavirus and the impact on Olympic qualification events after the World Health Organization (WHO) Wednesday declared that COVID-19 has become a pandemic due to the speed and scale of transmission.
"We understand the significant challenges you face, particularly in terms of travel regulations and the varying restrictions on the organization of events which continue to change daily," the IOC said in the statement.
"As a result, we are focused on assisting IFs and NOCs to address any challenges they may have with Olympic qualification events. Our goal is to help find consistent and credible solutions to replace any missed opportunities for qualification you may have had."
"In doing so we want to ensure you have fair access to qualification events and for qualification to take place on the field of play, including supporting IFs to create fair alternatives to lost qualification opportunities. We are therefore working closely with IFs to approve any necessary changes to the dates and locations of events and any necessary adaptations to the qualification systems."
Following the lighting of the Olympic Flame in Olympia on Thursday, the IOC confirmed its full commitment to the success of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
"At the same time, the world is facing challenges that are also impacting sport. But with 19 weeks before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the many measures being taken now by authorities all around the world give us confidence and keep us fully committed to delivering Olympic Games that can bring the world together in peace."
The IOC is also working with all other stakeholders, including Rights-Holding Broadcasters and sponsors, in order to address the current situation.
"We remain in close contact with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the host city of Tokyo, the government of Japan and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee through our joint task force, which was set up in mid-February. The IOC will continue to follow the advice of the WHO, as the leading United Nations agency on this topic."
Additionally, the IOC Athletes' Commission will host the next conference call with the Global Network of Athletes' Commissions on March 18 and will be focused exclusively on COVID-19 and its impacts.