London would be ready to host this year’s Summer Olympics if an outbreak of COVID-19 forced the Games to be moved from Tokyo, said Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for mayor of the British capital.
The flu-like virus has had major effects on the sporting calendar in Asia, with a host of events being canceled and postponed.
Tokyo organizers have set up a task force to coordinate with public health authorities on how to respond to the epidemic, while the International Olympic Committee has said that it had been advised by the WHO that there is no case for contingency plans to cancel or relocate the Games.
In Japan, hundreds have been infected and two deaths have been confirmed on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Yokohama, sparking concerns that the world’s top sporting event might not take place.
With London having hosted the 2012 Games, Bailey said that it was well-placed to step in for Tokyo if needed.
“We have the infrastructure and the experience. And due to the #coronavirus outbreak, the world might need us to step up,” Bailey said on Twitter. “London can host the #Olympics in 2020.”
His comments, carried by several major Japanese media outlets, became a top trending topic on Twitter in the country, with nearly 50,000 tweets on the subject.
“How dare you! Don’t deprive the Olympics from Japan! In the first place, the UK didn’t take any remedies for the ‘Diamond Princess’ owned by your country,” one Twitter user said.
The Diamond Princess is a UK-flagged vessel owned by Carnival Corp.
Another Twitter user replied to Bailey that London would be the best backup option, saying: “Probably the only major city that could, facilities, hotels etc all ready & the weather would be more conducive to both competitions/spectators than Tokyo.”
The Tokyo organizing committee did not comment on Bailey’s remarks, saying in a statement that it was taking the necessary steps over the coronavirus.
“Tokyo 2020 will continue to collaborate with all relevant organizations which carefully monitor any incidence of infectious diseases and we will review any countermeasures that may be necessary with all relevant organizations,” it said.
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