New Delhi [India], Mar 19 : Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju feels that nobody should raise issues regarding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the games are still a few months away.
"Nobody should raise any issue at this point of time about the Olympic because you do not know what is going to happen after three months. After three months, what will be the situation, nobody knows but we have to respond to the emerging situation as per the direction of the international bodies and respective sovereign governments," Rijiju told reporters on Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, four-time Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent suggested that the Tokyo Olympics should be called off due to the coronavirus outbreak.
"I am sorry Mr Bach but this is tone-deaf. The instinct to keep safe (not to mention obey govt instructions to lockdown) is not compatible with athlete training, travel and focus that a looming Olympics demands of athletes, spectators orgsers etc Keep them safe. Call it off," Pinsent tweeted.
Indian shuttler Paruppali Kashyap also questioned the International Olympic Committee, which had asked athletes to continue with their training for the quadrennial event. "The IOC encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as best they can," IOC had said in a statement.
Reflecting on the same, Kashyap wrote: "IOC is encouraging us to continue training .. and how ? Where? Ur joking right."
The sports ministry, today, in its order advised all sports orgsations and their affiliate units to suspend all the events, competitions or selection trials until April 15.
However, the Tokyo-bound athletes are allowed to get trained within the campus and can continue their preparations.
Tokyo is set to host the Olympic Games from July 24 to August 9.
( With inputs from ANI )