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US Olympic and Paralympic Committee cancels Tokyo media summit due to coronavirus fears

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee canceled its media summit for the Tokyo Games on Monday, less than a week before it was supposed to begin, because of fears about the spread of the coronavirus.

World Cup champions Carli Lloyd and Kelley O’Hara, WNBA stars Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi and Olympic gold medalists Allyson Felix and Ryan Lochte were among more than 100 Olympic and Paralympic athletes scheduled to appear at the event that was to begin Sunday. Media outlets from across the country also were expected for the four-day summit in Los Angeles.

"Out of an abundance of caution, and in an effort to limit any potential exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19) by Team USA athletes, members of the media, staff and volunteers, we have made the decision to postpone the 2020 Team USA Media Summit,” said Luella Chavez D’Angelo, USOPC chief communications and marketing officer.