Despite worldwide concern and speculation about whether the fast-spreading virus outbreak will affect the Tokyo Olympics, the IOC’s leadership isn’t joining in the debate.

“Neither the word cancellation nor the word postponement was even mentioned,” IOC president Thomas Bach told a news conference Wednesday about the second day of executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Bach sought to project calm assurance after holding a conference call with local organizers. In Tokyo, officials then briefed local media, some of whom wore protective masks.

Asked how he could be so confident the July 24-Aug. 9 Olympics will go ahead as scheduled, Bach replied: “Because we talk to the experts.”

All sporting events in Italy will take place without fans present through at least April 3 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Italian government announced.

The Italian soccer league likely will resume in full this weekend with the calendar pushed back a week.

Colleges: Nevada gave football coach Jay Norvell, 56, a five-year contract through the 2024 season. ... A man who was a wrestler in the 1980s sued Michigan, alleging that a school doctor molested him dozens of times despite the university knowing that he was a threat to athletes. The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Detroit is the first since victims of late Dr. Robert E. Anderson began to emerge a few weeks ago. The man, identified only as John Doe, accused the university of failing to remove the doctor despite complaints about him.Anderson was a team physician for various sports at Michigan from 1966 until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2008.

NFL: The Panthers agreed to trade five-time Pro Bowl G Trai Turner to the Chargers for two-time Pro Bowl T Russell Okung, ESPN reported.

Soccer: Mikel Oyarzabal converted a first-half penalty to lift visiting Real Sociedad to a 1-0 second-leg victory over second-division club Mirandes and into its first Copa del Rey final since 1988. Sociedad advanced with a 3-1 aggregate win. Granada will host Athletic Bilbao in the other semifinal Thursday.

— News services