Jamaica’s top track and field coaches, Stephen Francis and Glen Mills have expressed different views on the staging of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The outbreak of coronavirus has caused many qualifying events to be postponed or cancelled in the last two months. Some athletes are unable to train due to the containment measures in their country.
Mills, who guided Usain Bolt’s career, called for the event to be staged in 2021.
“My recommendation would be to postpone the Olympics until next year,” Jamaican sprint coach Glen Mills told Reuters.
“This would be unprecedented, but we are in unprecedented time. Move everything up one year, and then everything will eventually fall back in place,” Mills said.
However, Francis, the coach for Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, in an interview with Radio Jamaica, said the dates – July 24 to August 9 should go ahead once host country Japan control the virus in a reasonable.
“So long as I know that things are in place, for the people (authorities) to ensure that the visitors, athletes and so on are safe, if the country at the time is almost virus-free, and you have things in place to stop the spread of the thing, then I don’t have a problem,” Francis said.
“I don’t see why it suppose to be fair for everybody. There have been Olympics in the past where individual countries, different countries have had problems,” he said.
As to the possibility of persons bringing in the virus, Francis said there are ways to prevent that, one he pointed to was testing everyone on entry.
Mills said: “But I don’t think that the Olympics will take place at the time that is specified (July and August) because the outbreak is worldwide and in some countries, it is just starting to accelerate.”
“I can’t see the Olympics going ahead; taking persons from all over the world and bringing them to one central point,” explained Mills.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has said the organisation is “not living in a bubble or on another planet” over its insistence this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo will go ahead as planned, and claims “different scenarios” are being considered.
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Lorraine Wilkin EXACTLY!!! They don’t seem to get that ??♀️
Postpone is the way to go . We need to keep our athletes safe.Their safety is more important than medals and glory.
We need to bring Sports back to reality and stop acting like Sports is above human wellness and Society. Too much capital go into Sports, when a lot of those monies could go into developing a greater healthcare system worldwide. We take health for granted and now the world is devastated
haha what about my wife
@Lorraine Wilkin EXACTLY!!! They don’t seem to get that ??♀️
Postpone is the way to go . We need to keep our athletes safe.Their safety is more important than medals and glory.
Not safe to have it this year, not safe at all.
@Peter Arscott where’s your report? Source???
@Lorraine Wilkin Real talk
@Peter Arscott definitely no question then in my mind. Postpone the Olympics
@Lorraine Wilkin There are reports that people who have been cured have tested positive again
It will take sometime for Europe to recover
Test all the athletes basically but what about the spectators
I think that the Olympics should be postponed
I agree why put them in harm’s way
@Stephen Francis u sounds so selfish. “Event should go on if host country control d spread” with no consideration of d other nations. No man
Postpone. Is reinfection possible? The vlrus may be contained in Japan. But athletes and persons from other countries could be carrying and pass it on to others