The Speed, Boulder and Lead walls forming the site of the inaugural Olympic Sport Climbing event due to be held at the Aomi Urban Sports Park in Tokyo this August are built and ready in time for an upcoming test event, the IFSC has announced. Meanwhile, concerns about the impact of the Covid-19 virus on the Games are being raised by the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the International Olympic Committee, and the IFSC is considering its effect on upcoming qualification events.

Japan's Olympic minister, Seiko Hashimoto, commented in parliament that the Games could be postponed from August until later in 2020 due to concerns about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Tokyo's contract with the IOC "calls for the Games to be held within 2020," which "could be interpreted as allowing a postponement," she said.

In a press briefing today, IOC President Thomas Bach announced: "The IOC remains fully committed to the success of the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020. I encourage all athletes to prepare for the Games with 'full steam'."

In February, a decision was reached by the IFSC to reschedule the World Cups that were due to take place in China (UKC News) - Wujiang (Boulder) and Chongqing (Speed) - in April due to the ongoing spread of coronavirus.

In a press release distributed today, the IFSC stated that if the upcoming Asian Championships in Chongqing in May cannot be deemed safe to go ahead, then the two quota places (1 male, 1 female) will be allocated based on the results of the IFSC Climbing World Championships Hachioji 2019, adding that the IOC had approved an amended version of the Qualification System for the Games. The relevant paragraph reads:

'Unused quota from any Continental Championship, will be reallocated to the next highest placed athlete from the relevant continent, not yet qualified, in the Combined World Championships 2019, respecting the maximum quota per gender per NOC.'

The press release states: 'As the Asian Championships will select the final two Sport Climbing athletes (one man, one woman) to represent the continent of Asia in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the IFSC Sport Department is working tirelessly with the IFSC Asian Council to find a solution. Alternative organisers are currently in discussions with the IFSC over the relocation of the Championships, though at this stage the relocation cannot be confirmed.'

A decision will be made regarding the relocation or potential cancellation 'over the coming weeks.'

The press release also stated that the IFSC World Cup Seoul (South Korea) scheduled for May is now under review.

The test event for Tokyo 2020 - where competition simulations and preparations are carried out - will take place on March 6-7th with no athletes present due to the coronavirus outbreak.