Following the outbreak of the corona virus which has forced many nations like Canada and Australia to withdraw from the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, the Nigeria Olympic Committee has revealed it will not take a decision as regards Nigeria’s participation in the global showpiece until the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) gives a final verdict on the possibility of going ahead with plans to host the Olympics which is supposed to commence on July 24, 2020. The NOC Media Officer, Phemmy Adetula, noted that the committee was still monitoring the situation globally and advised athletes to remain hopeful, adding that NOC would not permit them to travel to Japan if it would put their health in risk.
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Nigeria is not withdrawing from the 2020 Olympics yet, although the NOC is aware that there are calls for the postponement of the games. Some countries have started pulling out of the Olympics, but we believe the world Health Organisation and the IOC are working hard to address their concerns….The deadly Coronavirus has killed many people so it will not be easy to expose athletes to the Olympics Games in the current situation…Our stance in the NOC is to wait for IOC’s final verdict on the issue. The country will not pull out and we have told Nigerian athletes to remain calm and follow all safety rules that will protect them from the Covid-19.
Phemmy Adetula
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The IOC has given itself four weeks to take a decision as regards the issue but with the recent upsurge in corona virus cases around the globe, IOC has decided to speed up its scenario, planning a move which could see the Olympics postponed instead of being canceled as initially proposed.
Source:
Guardian NG
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