Just a week after the declaration of the japanese prime minister that the Olympic Games were going to take place as planned, the IOC, in concert with the japanese government, decided to postpone the 2020 Games to 2021.
It is not just the question of the impossibility for the athletes to train for the Games. A major problem that the IOC was facing is the fact that less than half of the spots giving access to the Games were filled. Many pre-olympic tournaments were planned for the next months and their cancellation was making the organisation of the Games practically impossible. Combine this with the uncertainty on the evolution of the epidemic and the cancellation of the Games was the only sensible action.
What is `funny' is that Tokyo has already seen the Games, planned for their city, cancelled. The 1940 Olympics were scheduled for Tokyo but due to WWII they were scrubbed and Japan had to wait till 1964 in order to be given the task of organising the Games. At least, this time the Games are not cancelled but just postponed. And, moreover, they will still go down in history as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
World Athletics (see, I am not referring to them as IAAF any more) announced that, as soon as the conditions will allow it, they will organise a series of meetings, which will (start and) end later than usual, making it possible for the athletes to adjust their preparation. The current Olympic qualification system may also be revised.
One remaining problem are the 2021 World Championships, planned for the second week of August 2021 in Eugene. They might be moved to 2022, which is not that bad, since the year at mid-point between two Olympics is usually underwhelming. But then, of course, comes the question of the Europeans, planned this year for the end of August, in Paris, while for 2022 they are scheduled for Munich, again in August. In the next months the international sports authorities have some serious juggling to do.
It is not just the question of the impossibility for the athletes to train for the Games. A major problem that the IOC was facing is the fact that less than half of the spots giving access to the Games were filled. Many pre-olympic tournaments were planned for the next months and their cancellation was making the organisation of the Games practically impossible. Combine this with the uncertainty on the evolution of the epidemic and the cancellation of the Games was the only sensible action.
What is `funny' is that Tokyo has already seen the Games, planned for their city, cancelled. The 1940 Olympics were scheduled for Tokyo but due to WWII they were scrubbed and Japan had to wait till 1964 in order to be given the task of organising the Games. At least, this time the Games are not cancelled but just postponed. And, moreover, they will still go down in history as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
World Athletics (see, I am not referring to them as IAAF any more) announced that, as soon as the conditions will allow it, they will organise a series of meetings, which will (start and) end later than usual, making it possible for the athletes to adjust their preparation. The current Olympic qualification system may also be revised.
One remaining problem are the 2021 World Championships, planned for the second week of August 2021 in Eugene. They might be moved to 2022, which is not that bad, since the year at mid-point between two Olympics is usually underwhelming. But then, of course, comes the question of the Europeans, planned this year for the end of August, in Paris, while for 2022 they are scheduled for Munich, again in August. In the next months the international sports authorities have some serious juggling to do.
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