Coronavirus Update: Aussie World, the AOC, Keep Gyms Open Petition, NRL, Queensland Art Gallery and Sydney Biennale - 23rd March

The Australian Olympic Committee is reportedly poised to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics if the 2020 Games are not postponed amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art is to close to the public from noon today until further notice. 

Sunshine Coast amusement park Aussie World (pictured) will close its doors this afternoon in response to the Coronavirus crisis. While the Banana Bender Pub did not open today, the bottle shop and other retail outlets in the Aussie World precinct remain open for now, with appropriate social distancing and personal hygiene measures employed.

The Biennale of Sydney is closing its public exhibitions from tomorrow but will continue as a digital experience.

Describing how it is operating through "unprecedented times", BridgeClimb Sydney is closing its operations from today.

The NRL say its season will continue until the Australian Government tells it to stop. NRL Chief Executive, Todd Greenberg stated "at this stage, our intent is to play on and we remain committed to the continuation of the 2020 season as far as government advice allows it."

The Dubai Racing Club (DRC) has cancelled this year’s edition of the Dubai World Cup, one of horse racing’s most lucrative events.

Due to take place on 28th March, the event's stage was placed in doubt after the United Arab Emirates on Thursday suspended all sporting events.

Mel Tempest, franchisee at Genesis Health and Fitness Ballarat and presenter of the Gym Owners' Fitness Business Podcast, has started an online petition calling on the Federal Government to reconsider its ‘non-essential services’ definition that is seeing fitness centres close based on the role of gyms and fitness facilities in mental wellbeing.

Click here to view the petition.