The Tokyo Olympics is looking increasingly unlikely to proceed on July 24, with the Australian Olympic Committee telling athletes to prepare for 2021.
The International Olympic Committee said overnight Sunday it was making contingency plans to postpone the Games, immediately followed by news that Canada would to pull its athletes from competition.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in parliament a postponement of the Tokyo Olympics would be unavoidable if the games cannot be held in a complete way because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Australian Olympic Committee told its athletes on Monday to prepare for the Games to be held in the northern summer of 2021.
It says an Australian team can’t be assembled for the Tokyo Games.
“We have athletes based overseas, training at central locations around Australia as teams and managing their own programs. With travel and other restrictions this becomes an untenable situation,” AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said in a statement on Monday.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committee had earlier called on the IOC to postpone the Games.
Tweet from @iocmedia
“The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee, and the International Paralympic Committee and the World Health Organisation to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring,” the Canada committees said in a statement.
“While we recognise the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” it added.
Speaking in parliament, Prime Minister Abe had earlier ruled out the prospect of a cancellation, but appeared open to a postponement.
The IOC has committed to examine “scenario planning” over the next few weeks and make a decision on when or if the Games would proceed.
“This step will allow better visibility of the rapidly changing development of the health situation around the world and in Japan,” the IOC said in a news statement.
“It will serve as the basis for the best decision in the interest of the athletes and everyone else involved.”
Mr Abe, speaking at a parliamentary session, ruled out the possibility of a cancellation.
-with AAP
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