'We will take all the necessary decisions at the right time' - IOC President Bach

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SHOWS: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MAY 16, 2020) (WHO VNR - NO RESALES)

1. VARIOUS OF WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS AND IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH SIGNING AGREEMENT TO ADVOCATE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

2. BOTH SMILING AND JOKING AS THEY USE HAND GEL AFTER EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS TO SIGN

3. EXCHANGE OF GIFTS

4. APPLAUSE AND VIEW OF THE GIFTS

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH SAYING:

"You know, we are one year and two months away from this Games, and then we will take all the necessary decisions at the right time, relying on the advice of the World Health Organization, discussing it in our joint task force, but I think nobody at this moment in time can really give you a reliable answer how the world will look like in July 2021."

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL DR TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS SAYING:

"The world, if it fights with unity and global solidarity, I think we can make a difference before that, before the next Olympics, and we hope Tokyo will be a place where humanity will gather with triumph against COVID if we do our best, especially with national unity and global solidarity, I think it's possible, it's in our hands, but it's not easy that's why all of us as humanity should really fight in unison to defeat COVID, leave it behind us.

"So thank you so much Mr Presidant and your colleagues for today. This event, this MOU, is very important and and historic, we're signing it in the middle of a serious pandemic, and I hope this will be one of the additions to prepare the world for the next pandemic, and keep the world away from such kinds of pandemics, so thank you, vielen danke."

STORY: International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said the IOC would "take all the necessary decisions at the right time" about the staging of the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games in July 2021.

Bach, speaking on Saturday (May 16) after signing an agreement with World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland to advocate healthy lifestyles, said that with a year and two months before the scheduled opening on July 23 2021, "nobody at this moment in time can really give you a reliable answer how the world will look like in July 2021".

The WHO was instrumental in sharing technical advice with the IOC during the discussions that led to the postponement in March of the Games, and continues to give advice as it gathers additional knowledge and understanding of COVID-19.

"The world, if it fights with unity and global solidarity, I think we can make a difference before that, before the next Olympics, and we hope Tokyo will be a place where humanity will gather with triumph against COVID," said Dr Ghebreyesus.

The IOC and WHO said that their agreement is an effort to promote healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, sport and active recreation, as a tool for health across the globe.

(Production: Paul Warren and Mike Brock)