Sports federations start raising volume: postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Major sporting federations have started raising the voice in the face of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) position to go to hold the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo as scheduled in the summer of 2020, demanding its postponement due to the new Corona virus.

The calls to postpone the games scheduled between July 24 and August 9 gained a lot of momentum on Friday and Saturday, most notably from the American Athletics Federation, after similar calls from the American and French federations to swim, and a similar position from the Norwegian Olympic Committee.

Before that, the calls for postponement were limited to personalities or athletes who complained that the "Covid-19" virus that killed 11,000 people until Saturday morning, and took huge restrictions on movement and travel around the world to combat its spread, imposed a reality that could not prepare them Adequately what will likely be the most important event of their career.

More recently, the International Olympic Committee confirms that it is premature to decide on the fate of the games, and that it continues with Japanese organizers to prepare for the possibility of holding them on time, despite the paralysis imposed by the virus on sporting events, and the decision to postpone major events scheduled this summer such as the European Cup and the Copa America's football.

And Saturday, the Athletics Association of America, which athletes often win many gold medals at the Games, has become the most prominent deferral, in a message from its CEO Max Siegel to the CEO of the US Olympic Committee, Sarah Herschland.

The association asked the American Olympic Committee to "argue with the International Olympic Committee to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo."

"We urge the American Olympic and Paralympic Committee, as a leader in the Olympic Movement, to raise its voice and speak on behalf of athletes."

The message came hours after a difference of opinion emerged between the American federations and their Olympic committee officials.

As for the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Committee, Susan Lyons, she saw that there is no need for a decision at present, explaining, "We agree with the International Olympic Committee, that we need expert advice and more information than we currently have to make a decision."

"The Olympics are not next week, or two weeks from now. It's four months from now, and I think a lot may change in this time period."