IOC President Thomas Back may have final say as Tokyo Olympics faces risk of being cancelled over coronavirus fears
People wearing protective face masks, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, are seen in front of the Giant Olympic rings at the waterfront area at Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo, Japan, on February 27, 2020.
With so much money and prestige in play, the German lawyer is for now firmly backing Japan's stance that the July 24-August 9 event will go ahead, saying the IOC remains "fully committed." Under pressure around the world to fully ban Russian athletes from 2016, 2018 and 2020 Games due to doping scandals, Bach resisted, enabling them to compete as independents.
The host city and Japanese Olympic body also signed away any right to indemnity, damages or compensation from the IOC.Bach, who won fencing gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, took over the IOC in 2013 and has led it through whirlwind change to make the Games more attractive to cities and sponsors. Rarely showing emotion, Bach is a strategic planner and rapid implementer, with deep experience dating back to the first meeting of the IOC athletes commission in 1981.
Reuters could not reach Bach for comment on that or his role in determining the threat to the Games from the coronavirus.
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