Tokyo Olympics test event goes on without athletes, fans amid coronavirus fears
Organizers of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics finally held a test event Friday — but no fans or top athletes were present amid swirling coronavirus fears.
The COVID-19 outbreak has forced organizers to rearrange or postpone several of these trial runs — but a sport climbing event scheduled for Friday was given the OK — with a few protective measures taken.
No top athletes or fans were permitted to be present — and amateurs tested the climbing facility instead.
The International Olympic Committee and local organizers have said the Olympics will open as scheduled on July 24, and the Paralympics will kick off Aug. 25.
But virologists say time will tell whether coronavirus will throw a wrench in those plans.
The Games’ contract allows the event to take place any time in 2020 — leaving room for postponement, Japan’s Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto said this week.
Hashimoto called the end of May “the final deadline for making the decision.”
Twelve people have died of the novel coronavirus in Japan.
With Post wires