LONDON, Jan 26 — Mo Farah said today he will get the chance for a fifth Olympic gold medal later this year despite the coronavirus pandemic as the Tokyo Games will go ahead and athletes have been told they will be vaccinated.
The 37-year-old Somalia-born British track legend added he will treat the 10,000 metres as just “another race.”
There has been speculation the Games already postponed from last year would be cancelled due to a resurgence of the virus globally.
However, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach and the Japanese government have stood firm saying the Games will go ahead as planned.
They are due to run from July 23 to August 8.
The idea of vaccinating athletes has been floated by IOC deputy Dick Pound although others say the most vulnerable should be given priority.
“I think most people in a career want to go to an Olympics and take part in an Olympics,” Farah told radio station talkSPORT.
“The key thing is to stay safe and see what the country can do.
“What they have said to us is basically everyone will be able to get Covid injections and after that it’s less risk of spreading the disease, and then from there just see what happens and take one day at a time.”
Farah has reverted to the track after taking time out to run marathons hence his ambition to add a third 10,000 metres gold to the two he won in 2012 and 2016 when he achieved the distance double.
“I think (the Games) will go ahead,” said Farah, who also has six world outdoor titles to his name.
“At the same time, for me I have had the experience of taking part in three Olympics and I have to see it as another race and see what happens.”
It is understood the British Olympic Association (BOA) is not involved in any active conversations with the Government in regard to vaccinating athletes.
BOA chief executive Andy Anson told the Press Association news agency earlier this month athletes should not be put at the front of the queue.
“The priority has to be the people who need it most—frontline workers, the elderly and the vulnerable,” he said.
“There will come a time, hopefully ahead of the Olympic Games when the athletes can be considered for vaccination, but we’ll only do that when it’s appropriate.” — AFP
