DETROIT – The U.S. track federation added its name to a growing chorus of calls to postpone the Tokyo Games because of the coronavirus.
In a letter to the CEO of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, USA Track and Field CEO Max Siegel urged the federation to advocate for the postponement of the Games, which are to start July 24.
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USATF joins USA Swimming, which sent a similar letter to the USOPC on Thursday.
The USOPC leadership has been in agreement with the IOC, that it’s too soon to make any decisions regarding postponing the games.
Brazil’s Olympic Committee has called for the Tokyo Olympic Games to be postponed until 2021.
The Brazilian body said in a statement published on Saturday that the decision is a necessity due to the seriousness of the pandemic and “the consequent difficulty for athletes to keep their best competitive level.”
It also said that it continues to “trust in the International Olympic Committee.” Brazil organized the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, the first in South America.
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton says he has been self-isolating for more than a week after meeting people who later tested positive for the new coronavirus.
Hamilton was at a charity event in London on March 4 also attended by actor Idris Elba and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of the Canadian prime minister. Both were later found to have the virus.
In a message on social media, Hamilton says he’s shown “zero symptoms” but has been isolating himself from other people ever since March 13, when the Australian Grand Prix was called off.
Hamilton said that “I did speak to my doctor and double checked if I needed to take a test but, the truth is there is a limited amount of tests available and there are people who need it more than I do.”
— USATF (@usatf) March 21, 2020