The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will take up to four weeks to consider postponing the Tokyo Olympics amid mounting criticism of its handling of the coronavirus crisis that now includes Canada saying it won't send a team to the games this year and the leader of track and field, the biggest sport at the games, also calling for a delay.
The IOC is planning meetings with Japanese public authorities, global sports officials, broadcasters and sponsors that will deal with scenario planning for the Olympics, which are scheduled to start July 24. Canceling the games is not under consideration.
IOC President, Thomas Bach sent a letter to athletes explaining the decision and why it might take so long, while also acknowledging the extended timeline might not be popular.
“I know that this unprecedented situation leaves many of your questions open,” he wrote. “I also know that this rational approach may not be in line with the emotions many of you have to go through.”
But only hours after the announcement, World Athletics President Seb Coe sent a letter to Bach saying that holding the Olympics in July “is neither feasible nor desirable.” He outlined a number of reasons, including competitive fairness, the likelihood athletes would overtrain if given a compressed schedule and the uncertainty caused by orders in many countries barring people from gyms and other workout venues.
“No one wants to see the Olympic Games postponed but ... we cannot hold the event at all costs, certainly not at the cost of athlete safety,” he wrote. “A decision on the Olympic Games may become very obvious very quickly.”
Then, late Sunday, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced it won't send athletes to Tokyo unless the games are postponed by a year, becoming the first country to threaten such a move. The committee said in a statement that it was unsafe for athletes to continue training.
“In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow,” the committee said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also urged the IOC to make a quick decision, adding that a postponement would be unavoidable if the games cannot be held in a complete way.
But a decision probably won't come sooner than next month.
The IOC said the scenarios under consideration “relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on July 24, 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games.”
The change in strategy followed Bach's conference call with executive board members.
Bach has consistently said organizers are fully committed to opening the games on July 24 — despite athlete training, qualifying events and games preparations being disrupted more and more by the virus outbreak causing the COVID-19 disease.
Criticism of the stance grew in recent days from Olympic gold medalists and by an IOC member last Tuesday, before Bach finally acknowledged an alternative plan was possible.
National Olympic committees in Brazil and Slovenia later called for a postponement to 2021. Norway’s Olympic body said it did not want athletes going to Tokyo until the global health crisis is under control.
The United States governing bodies of swimming and track — two of the three top-tier Summer Games sports — have called on their national Olympic officials to push for a postponement.
“There is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of COVID-19 in different countries on different continents,” the IOC said. “This led the (board) to the conclusion that the IOC needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning.”
The IOC said last week that roughly 4,700 of 11,000 spots in the Olympics have yet to be allocated.
Bach acknowledged the problems that come with a compressed or radically altered qualifying schedule, but also laid out several reasons that the IOC could not rush to a decision.
It included the availability of venues that are scheduled for use this summer but might not be available at a later time and the disruption of future events in the individual sports.
“A decision about a postponement today could not determine a new date for the Olympic Games because of the uncertain developments in both directions: an improvement, as we are seeing in a number of countries thanks to the severe measures being taken, or a deteriorating situation in other countries,” Bach said.
AP Newsroom
Mon Mar 23 2020
A woman pauses for photos next to the Olympic rings near the New National Stadium in Tokyo, Monday, March 23, 2020. Photo/AP
IShowSpeed tiba di KL, terima baju batik daripada peminat
Speed menerima hadiah daripada beberapa orang peminat Malaysia ketika kenderaannya berhenti di lampu isyarat di ibu negara pada Selasa,
Penyanyi Sean Diddy ditangakp di New York
Penerbit muzik terkenal, Puff Daddy atau lebih dikenali sebagai Sean Diddy Combs yang berdepan dengan beberapa tuduhan serangan seksual telah diberkas di Manhatann, New York oleh ejen persekutuan pada Isnin waktu tempatan.
10 maut, puluhan cedera bas Iran terbalik
Menurut angka awal, kemalangan itu mengakibatkan 10 maut dan 41 cedera.
Malaysia perlu melabur dalam infrastruktur
Pengarah Eksekutif Ukrainian Prism, Hennadiy Maksak berpandangan, Malaysia juga tidak boleh bergantung kepada satu laluan, selain menjalin hubungan yang baik dengan negara-negara jiran.
Lebih 1,000 rakyat termasuk pejuang Hezbollah cedera parah
Lebih seribu rakyat Lubnan termasuk anggota pejuang Hezbollah dan petugas perubatan cedera parah dalam satu letupan pada Selasa.
Tetingkap Tunggal Nasional memudahkan operasi perdagangan antara Malaysia dan China
Menteri Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri (MITI), Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz berpendapat inisiatif Tetingkap Tunggal Nasional (National single window) yang bakal diharmonikan Bersama system kastam China akan memudahkan operasi perniagaan dan perdagangan (ease of doing business) antara Malaysia dan China.
Medan selera perlu ditambah baik, kemudahan asas tidak lengkap
Air bergenang di lantai dan tempias sehingga meja makan mengakibatkan pengunjung basah. Itu situasi apabila keadaan hujan lebat di Medan Selera Taman Makmur di dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Mahkota yang menempatkan deretan 12 kedai makan.
Calon manfaat platform media sosial dekati pengundi luar
Kempen Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Mahkota turut memberi tumpuan kepada penggunaan media sosial bagi menambat hati pengundi luar selain kempen secara bersemuka.
Seorang wanita maut jatuh lubang saluran air
Seorang wanita maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam lubang saluran air sedalam dua meter ketika menyertai aktiviti mendaki di Bukit Cherok Tok Kun pada Selasa.
Kerja pembersihan sisa kimia dijalankan pada Selasa
Kerja-kerja pembersihan sisa bahan kimia yang dibuang secara haram di Kawasan Perindustrian Tiong Nam dan Kawasan Perindustrian Tropika, Johor bermula pada Selasa.
Olimpik Paris 2024: IOC pertahan keputusan benar peninju wanita bertanding
Kedua-dua atlet ini adalah mangsa keputusan mendadak dan sewenang-wenang oleh Persatuan Tinju Antarabangsa (IBA).
Paris 2024: Pasangan renang Brazil cetus kontroversi, dibuang daripada senarai bertanding
Keputusan IOC muktamad susulan daripada perbuatan dua atlet itu yang 'mencuri-curi keluar' ke bandar Paris ketika waktu malam.
China, IOC sedia tingkatkan kolaborasi, majukan gerakan Olimpik
China menyokong teguh pembangunan gerakan Olimpik antarabangsa di samping mengekalkan hubungan baik dengan Jawatankuasa Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC) dalam jangka masa panjang.
Sukan Olimpik 2024: Tiga atlet wanita tidak diiktiraf kerajaan Taliban
Kerajaan Taliban Afghanistan tidak mengiktiraf tiga atlet wanita mereka yang bakal mewakili negara berkenaan di Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024.
Presiden IOC, CMG anugerahkan plak kepada tim media Sukan Olimpik 2024
CMG sebagai agensi penyiar utama bagi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024, berikrar melaksanakan tugasan dan tanggungjawab yang sejajar dengan mandat.
Ukraine mungkin tidak sertai Sukan Olimpik Paris
Ukraine mungkin tidak akan menyertai Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 melainkan Jawatankuasa Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC) mengubah pendiriannya.
Olimpik Paris: Altet Rusia, Belarus dibenar bertanding
Keputusan IOC itu mengesahkan langkah yang dimulakan setahun lalu untuk mengintergrasikan semula Rusia dan sekutu tenteranya Belarus.
Michelle Yeoh antara 8 ahli baharu IOC
Pemenang Oscar Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh dipilih sebagai ahli baharu Jawatankuasa Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC) pada hari terakhir Sesi ke-141 IOC di sini, pada Selasa.
Skuasy disenaraikan di Sukan Olimpik Los Angeles 2028
Skuasy, besbol/sofbol, kriket dan dua sukan tradisi AS iaitu flag football dan lacrosse adalah lima sukan baharu yang diluluskan.
IOC gantung Jawatankuasa Olimpik Rusia
Lembaga Eksekutif (EB) Jawatankuasa Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC) pada Khamis mengumumkan untuk menggantung Jawatankuasa Olimpik Rusia berkuat kuasa serta-merta.