The World Health Organization says it is not advising on whether or not to go ahead with the Tokyo Olympics this year amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking at a regular press briefing in Geneva on Friday, Michael Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies program, made the remark, stressing that it's not the role of the UN agency to call off or not call off any event.
He reiterated that it's the decision of hosting countries and the organizing agencies, adding WHO has not offered advice to the International Olympic Committee for the Tokyo summer games one way or the other.
He however, said that WHO could offer technical advice on how to handle possible risks around the event.
The head of the IOC coordination commission earlier on Friday insisted there was no danger of Tokyo 2020 being cancelled or moved.
After a project review meeting in Tokyo, John Coates told reporters that the advice they received from the WHO is that there is no case for a contingency plan to cancel or move the Games.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
