The head of the governing body of World Athletics, Lord Sebastian Coe, recently claimed that the athletics competitions on the global level in 2020 will very different from it used to before due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
During an interview with WION, the two-time Olympic champion claimed that the most important guiding principle that World Athletics will be following is the safety of athletes as it plots a return to action.
"Meeting Directors will have to take their own decisions about how to get athletes to competition in a safe and secure manner that doesn't risk infection", said Lord Coe.
"Each event will have to decide on a format for competition with these safety considerations two months in advance. Everybody is waiting to return to competition and organisers will have to be as creative and ingenious as possible in the current circumstances", he added.
Speaking on the topic of the guides needed to be followed upon the return of athletics, Lord Coe said: "We have to be guided by what governments, the WHO and local authorities are telling us, but we also have to make our own decisions and make sensible compromises."
"There may be a moment when a sport decides that it is ready to stage events even if it is not always with the approval of those authorities. We will be respectful, but we have to make decisions in the best interest of our sport and our athletes," he added.
"Speculating about something that is over a year away is unhelpful. We are trying to give the athletes some clarity about the calendar and speculation from scientists and medical experts does not help."
"I hope that the pandemic will be contained so that we don't have to cancel the Games", he concluded.
The coronavirus outbreak has brought all sports activities to a halt, players are practising social distancing and self-isolation during the pandemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the governments all around are urging people to stay at home.
