Mar 19 , 2020. 4 hours ago – 12:35 |KYODO NEWS

Lausanne, Zwitzerland – International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach held a “constructive” conference call Wednesday with 220 athlete representatives about the prospects for this summer’s Olympic Games and the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bach admitted he was confronted with many questions over qualification and coronavirus restrictions in the call held after several prominent athletes publically criticized plans to press ahead with the Olympics as originally scheduled.

“We were also very constructive in considering the path to Tokyo and everybody realized that we still have more than four months to go,” Bach said in a statement. “We aim to continue being very realistic in our analysis.”

In recapping the two-hour conference call in which more than 40 questions were asked by athlete representatives, Bach said, “we will address this action and we will keep acting in a responsible way that is in the interest of the athletes.”

Olympic chiefs acknowledged there was no “ideal” solution to staging the Tokyo Olympics in response to a growing number of athletes expressing concern.

While sporting events around the world are being moved or canceled, the IOC says it is “fully committed” to holding the Games from July 24 as scheduled.

“The IOC is committed to finding a solution with the least negative impact for the athletes, while protecting the integrity of the competition and the athletes’ health,” the IOC said in a statement.

“No solution will be ideal in this situation, and this is why we are counting on the responsibility and solidarity of the athletes.”

The IOC will on Thursday have coronavirus crisis talks with National Olympic Committees from Asia, including the Japan Olympic Committee.

On Wednesday, an Olympic gymnastics qualifier in Tokyo doubling as a test event became the latest competition to be canceled.

A day earlier, the vice chairman of JOC said he had tested positive for coronavirus.

CR: KYODO NEWS