TOKYO: The International Olympic Committee is `fully committed` to holding the 2020 Games in Tokyo as planned despite the widening new coronavirus outbreak, the body`s president has pledged.

The IOC `is fully committed to a successful Olympic Games in Tokyo starting July 24`, Thomas Bach told Japanese media in a conference call late Thursday, according to Kyodo News.

`The preparations for the Olympic Games are continuing with a view to having successful Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo and to reassure the athletes and to encourage them to go ahead full steam with regard to their training and their preparations for what we expect to be very successful Games,` said Bach.

The comments came as the viral outbreak across Japan and dozensof other countries has fuelled concerns about the Summer Games, with a swathe of other sports events postponed or cancelled.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has stepped up national measures to contain the virus, calling on organisers of large events to consider cancelling or delaying them.

Everything from football matches and music concerts to the rituals that mark the opening of the March sumo tournament have been affected.

On Thursday, Abe requested a nearly month-long closure of schools in a drive to curb the spread of COVID-19, linked to four deaths so far among nearly 200 known infections among the general Japanese public.

Some 700 infections were also detected among about 3,700 passengers and crew on a cruise ship that was quarantined offJapan after one of its former passengers tested positive.

Bach avoided directly addressing comments by senior IOC member Dick Pound, who hinted the Games could be cancelled if health authorities block travel.

Pound also said, however, there has been no formal discussion among IOC members about cancelling the Games.

`I thinl( the facts speal( for themselves, and we should also not forget that Dick Pound also said that the IOC is fully committed to have the opening ceremony there on July 24th in Tokyo,` Bach said.

Bach said the priority now `is to ensure the qualification procedure and protecting the safety of athletes at the same time`, according to Kyodo.

`This is what we`re doing in cooperation with the Japanese authorities, the World Health Organisation, the ChineseOlympic Committee and many NOCS,` Bach said, referring to national Olympic committees.

`We have seen the Japanese authorities taking very important measures. We appreciate the close cooperation with the organising committee, which is doing everything to ensure the safety ofthe athletes and allthe visitors to Japan. We also see in this respect, again, the great solidarity of the world to contribute to the safety of the games and contribute to successful Games.

Disruption caused by the virus has affected Olympic qualifying in several sports, including football, boxing, badminton, handball and wrestling and sailing.

Tokyo`s Olympic organisers have repeatedly said they are focused on holding a safe Olympics and Paralympics with the IO C`s full backing.-Agencies