WHO: willing to offer advice but not make decisions about sport events

GENEVA - World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the agency would be willing to offer specific risk management advice to sports events, but not making decisions on them.

"Different types of sporting organizations to offer them on how to manage risk. What we don't do is to make the decision as to whether events or any event goes ahead. That is the right of those federations and the national federations and the governments in which are hosting those types of events," Dr. Micheal Ryan, Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Program said in responding a question to the resumption of soccer games in a press conference on Wednesday.

"Are we resuming soccer games with or without spectators? One of the measures which have been taken to keep players and staff safe. Everyone wants sport to return. We all want to see our normal and social and economic lives return. The questions are: how are the risks being managed? And what is the process by which that will be achieved?" Ryan said.

"I think we would have to get specific information, for example, for Turkey and Germany as to what the risk management measures that are being put in place.

"Certainly, if asked by the government of those countries or by the federations in those countries, we will be very willing to offer specific risk management advice," he added.