By Agence France-Presse
The International Olympic Committee acknowledged Wednesday there was no "ideal" solution to staging this summer's Tokyo Olympics as the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic swept the globe.
A man wearing a face mask walks in the tunnel of a metro station with the board of the official 2020 Summer Olympics advertisement in Tokyo on March 11, 2020. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
"This is an exceptional situation which requires exceptional solutions," an IOC spokesperson said after criticism from top athletes that they were being forced to take health risks should the July 24-August 9 Games go ahead as scheduled during the COVID-19 outbreak.
"The IOC is committed to finding a solution with the least negative impact for the athletes, while protecting the integrity of the competition and the athletes' health.
"No solution will be ideal in this situation, and this is why we are counting on the responsibility and solidarity of the athletes."
Earlier, Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi and British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson both voiced concerns after the IOC said it was "fully committed" to running the Games as scheduled from July 24.
"The IOC wants us to keep risking our health, our family's health and public health to train every day?" Stefanidi tweeted.
"You are putting us in danger right now, today, not in 4 months."