International Canoe Federation President José Perurena López is recovering at home from coronavirus ©The World Games

International Canoe Federation (ICF) President José Perurena López has returned to his home in Madrid having spent a week hospitalised after becoming infected with coronavirus.

Before his hospital admission last week, Perurena, who is also President of the International World Games Association (IWGA), had spent two weeks of confinement at home on account of the state of emergency decreed by the Spanish Government.

"Now I will stay at home in isolation for several more days whilst I recover from the disease," the 74-year-old said in a statement released by the IWGA.

"I was not able to take part in the recent meeting of the IWGA Board, but I always discuss the issues beforehand with our vice-president Max Bishop and chief executive Joachim Gossow, and they keep me on top of all items. 

"Our internal communication is working very well."

The IWGA announced earlier this week that as the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games clash with the dates of the 2021 World Games in American city Birmingham, it will "urgently review" the situation.

It was confirmed on Monday (March 30) that Tokyo 2020 will now be held between July 23 and August 8 in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the World Games in Alabama scheduled for between July 15 and 25, there is an overlap of three days and the IWGA has confirmed that it will look for alternative options.

This could include earlier dates in 2021 or moving the event to a similar time in 2022.

"I am very pleased to see that there is very good cooperation with the Birmingham Organising Committee under these difficult circumstances," Perurena said.

"Vice-president Bishop and his team have been working closely with the team from Birmingham, and there has been a lot of progress already. 

"This afternoon, we will have a teleconference with our member federations."

Perurena, a kayak competitor at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, has been President of the ICF since 2008 but intends to step down in the calendar year.

He also used to be an International Olympic Committee member, but departed at the end of December.

Perurena was elected President of the IWGA in 2014, and re-elected for another four-year term in 2018.

Confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide are close to reaching one million and more than 47,000 people have died from the virus.

More than 9,000 people have died in Spain, which is second only to Italy.

Confirmed cases in the country have passed 100,000, but numbers show the infection rate continues to fall.