Tokyo Olympics postponed to 2021 over coronavirus
17:28, 24 March
Photo: courtesy of NHK
The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed until 2021 amid the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. The decision was taken after talks between Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, according to Japan's NHK.
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The telephone conversation between Shinzo Abe and Thomas Bach took place on 24 March. The Japanese prime minister said they had established that canceling the Games was out of the question. Thomas Bach agreed “100%” that a postponement was the most appropriate response to the global disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It is expected that the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo will take place before the end of summer 2021.
As was reported, the IOC in cooperation with the 2020 Tokyo Games organizing committee, the authorities of Japan and Tokyo discussed various options for the 2020 Olympics amid the spread of the coronavirus infection, including its possible postponement. The games could take place as scheduled, as the coronavirus situation in Japan has been improving. On the other hand, there is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of COVID-19 in different countries on different continents. It was planned that the 32nd Summer Olympic Games were to take place from 24 July to 9 August.
