The 2020 Olympic Games, originally slated to begin on July 24th in Tokyo, are looking to be postponed – likely until 2021 reports USA Today.
Veteran International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound revealed the news, telling the outlet: “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided. The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know. It will come in stages. We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”
Asked for an IOC response, spokesperson Mark Adams says: “It is the right of every IOC member to interpret the decision of the IOC executive board which was announced yesterday.” IOC President Thomas Bach said he was going to take four weeks to decide the fate of the event.
Subsequently, numerous countries have indicated they won’t be sending athletes to the event should it go forward. The Olympic Committee has been hesitant to make this decision, with Bach completely ruling out the possibility of cancelling the games which are a major draw on television throughout the world. A new date can’t be determined though due to the uncertain and ongoing nature of the pandemic.
