Despite the spread of the coronavirus throughout the world and almost general containment, including in France, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) firmly believes in the maintenance of the Tokyo Olympic Games, initially scheduled for July 24 to August 9, 2020. In the space of a few weeks, and according to declarations more clumsy than the others, the IOC succeeded the feat of almost unanimous against him.
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"We are very circumspect"
In France, sports federations are quite annoyed by the decision to keep the Tokyo Games as is. "This is not a situation of responsible leaders. It is easy to encourage athletes to prepare. But where and how?", Wonders about Europe 1 André Giraud, president of the French Athletics Federation. "When the President of the Republic told us that we should remain confined, how can the athletes do it? That means that they cannot even approach their coach. We are very circumspect."
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On the judo side, the training conditions will be very delicate for champions like Teddy Riner or Clarisse Agbegnenou. "When you are an opposition sport, you cannot not train. (...) We are really very annoyed, our athletes do physical preparation, but to be strong in judo, you have to do judo ", explains Jean-Luc Rougé, president of the French federation.
"We can only regret the positioning of the CNOSF"
The French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF), representative of France to the IOC, is thus singled out. "We can only regret the positioning of the CNOSF. We were expecting a slightly different decision-making than people who say they bring everything. It should not be the concern of the French to say that the Games are maintained. What we ask, it's the postponement of the Games, "explains Gilles Sezionale, president of the French Swimming Federation.
While all sports cease their activities and the postponements of major events multiply, the IOC evokes the possible continuation of the Olympic Games!
I am devastated by so many inconsistencies when we should only devote ourselves today to the epidemic to save lives! https://t.co/KpOkJ3wldn
Same story on the side of a federation providing medals, judo. "We don't play with people's health" says Jean-Luc Rougé. "Today our athletes are not ready. When we want to break records, we do not beat them if we train from time to time. It is not possible. The high level is something else ".
Get inspired by Euro 2020 and the VI Nations Tournament
For the presidents of the federations, the external pressures will be too powerful for the IOC not to weaken in the days to come. "I don't believe it, me (keeping the Games, editor's note), prophesies Jean-Luc Rougé for Europe 1." I know the IOC methods well, let's admit that in the world things change, they will have to change . The IOC has announced that the Olympic Games will be maintained, and well they will not be, "concludes the president of the French Judo Federation.
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Especially that a postponement of the Olympic Games would not ultimately be anything exceptional. All the other major sporting events on the planet have adapted their calendar, be it Euro 2020, the VI Nations tournament, Roland-Garros or even the Tour de France. In the International Olympic Committee, however, we advance with blinders. But perhaps the voice of the boss of Worlds Athletics (international athletics federation) could be a game-changer. Sebastian Coe conceded Thursday that a postponement of the Games "was not to be excluded".