Mayoral candidate says London can host 2020 Olympics
A London mayoral candidate says the city can host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
"We have the infrastructure and the experience. And due to the #coronavirus outbreak, the world might need us to step up," Shaun Bailey, the mayoral candidate for the Conservative Party, said in a tweet Wednesday.
A spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan told CBS News in a statement they're willing to do it if the "unlikely" opportunity presents itself. "Everyone is working towards what will be a fantastic Tokyo games. In the unlikely event that it is required, London, as it has done throughout history, will do its best to step up to the plate."
London can host the #Olympics in 2020.We have the infrastructure and the experience. And due to the #coronavirus outbreak, the world might need us to step up.As Mayor, I will make sure London is ready to answer the call and host the Olympics again.https://t.co/1jJesWS1D6
— Shaun Bailey (@ShaunBaileyUK) February 19, 2020
Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympics organizers have said they're worried about disruptions caused by the virus before the games, which are scheduled to open in late July, The Associated Press reported. They've set up a task force to coordinate with public health authorities, Reuters reported.
Earlier this week, the 2020 Tokyo Marathon limited the event to only a few hundred elite participants due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to CBS Sports.
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