The conference call with Thomas Bach, the IOC President and Shinzo Abe, the Japanese Prime Minister, was successful. The rapid evolution of the world health situation in connection with COVID-19, its repercussions “on the lives of citizens and the significant impact it has on the preparation of athletes around the world for the Games and its repercussions on the Tokyo 2020 Games ”have led Japanese leaders to propose a postponement for one year.
In an official statement, the IOC explains: “In the current situation and on the basis of the information transmitted by WHO today, the President of the IOC and the Japanese Prime Minister have come to the conclusion that in order to preserve the health of athletes, all those associated with the preparation of the Olympic Games and members of the international community, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo were to be rescheduled after 2020 but no later than the summer of 2021. ” And to conclude: “The Olympic Games in Tokyo could be a sign of hope for the planet in these difficult times and the Olympic flame the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world is today. It was therefore decided that the Olympic flame would remain in Japan. It was also agreed that the name of the Games would not change and would always be: Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. ”
Joint press release from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committeehttps: //t.co/okNDMr77rI
- Olympic Games (@gamesolympiques) March 24, 2020The Olympic Games were scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 9. They will probably be reprogrammed in a year, in the summer of 2021.
Read also
- Tokyo Olympics: Japan proposed one-year postponement
