CHEF de mission to the Tokyo Olympics Mariano “Nonong” Araneta advised the country’s Olympic qualifiers and hopefuls to remain focused amid reports that the Games will be canceled.
“They [athletes] just have to continue training and focus on their goal because there is no pronouncement coming from the Japan organizers and the IOC [International Olympic Committee] that the games are formally canceled,” Araneta told BusinessMirror on Friday.
The Times of London, citing unidentified government sources, reported that the Games will have to be canceled [see banner story].
“There’s nothing to worry because there’s no official announcement,” Araneta said.
The country has four qualifiers for Tokyo so far—boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno, gymnast Carlos Yulo and pole vaulter EJ Obiena. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz will officially qualify when she participates in the Tashkent world championships in April.
The Tokyo Olympics are set from July 23 to August 8.