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Track and field Olympian speaks about fears of coronavirus ahead of 2020 Games

This isn’t the first time a global health scare has threatened to impact the Olympics.

ATLANTA — He would tell you that he training just for today, but the truth is Erik Kynard is training for Tokyo.

And while he is focused on his training, the track and field athlete is also aware of how the coronavirus is starting to affect sports and could possibly affect the 2020 Olympic Games.

“I don’t posses the spirit of fear,” Kynard said. “I am not ignorant to the risk associated with being sick, and I know the statistics involving the sickness.”

RELATED: Japan Olympics minister hints Games could be held later in 2020

This isn’t the first time a global health scare has threatened to impact the Olympics. Most recently in 2016, leading up to the Rio Games, the concern was the Zika virus.

“It’s always something. This is a little different,” Kynard admitted. “As far as global panic and fear, that exists around this, and it didn’t exist around Zika virus."

RELATED: Sporting events telling fans to stay home amid coronavirus outbreak

As the coronavirus continues to spread, sports leagues around the world are adjusting and sporting events without fans may soon be the new normal.

“[An Olympics with no spectators] would be extremely weird,” Kynard said. “I don’t think that will happen.”

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