“Tokyo Olympics could be a beacon of hope for peace”
The IOC and Japanese authorities have decided to postpone the Olympic Games due to the coronavirus pandemic. President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a special telephone conference, during which they discussed the current situation. It was also attended by the president of the organizing committee of the Games, Mori Yoshiro, the governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko, the general director of the IOC, Christoph De Kepper, and other Olympic functionaries.
As a result, they issued a verdict that at the moment, the holding of the Games in Tokyo in the originally scheduled time - from July 24 to August 9 - is not possible.
“The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak of coronavirus has worsened the situation in the rest of the world. Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhan Ghebreyesus said yesterday that the pace of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is "accelerating." Currently, more than 375,000 cases of the disease have been registered worldwide and in almost every country, and their number is growing every hour, ”the IOC website said in a statement.
It is reported that the Games were postponed "to a date after 2020, but no later than the summer of 2021." At the same time, they will retain the current name "Tokyo 2020", as well as the Paralympic Games. Also in Japan will remain the Olympic flame, delivered from Greece last week. But his relay race is postponed.
“The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could be a beacon of hope for the world in these turbulent times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world is currently located,” the text says.
After the conference, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the Olympics had been postponed, in order for athletes to be able to properly prepare for it, because at the moment, due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of them are simply unable to train properly.
“We agreed to hold the Olympics and the Paralympics at the latest until the summer of 2021, as well as to be in close cooperation, so that after the final victory of mankind over a new type of coronavirus infection and as a sign of this victory, the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in full form,” - R-Sport quotes Abe's words.
In turn, the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, said that the Olympic flame "will become a symbol of victory over the coronavirus."
“This is a specific goal for athletes. Tokyo, which carried out the preparation, also had a goal that we will go towards, ”said the head of the city.
Finally, the Minister of Olympics, Seiko Hashimoto, emphasized that the country will now have more time to prepare for an important event.
“We will need to simultaneously deal with various problems - the preparation of sports arenas and others. The Government of Japan in close cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, the organizing committee of the Olympics, the city of Tokyo will deal with all urgent tasks, ”said the Minister.
Calls to reschedule or cancel the Tokyo Olympics have sounded louder lately, but the Japanese authorities until the last did not want to make such a radical decision just four months before the start of the competition. And Bach noted less than a week ago that he was optimistic about the future.
But on Monday, March 23, it became known that a number of athletes refused to go to Japan. The National Olympic Committee of Canada decided not to send their athletes to Tokyo and not to risk their health. Similarly acted in Australia.
“In this difficult time, health is paramount”
In Russia, the transfer of the Olympic Games was treated with understanding. So, the deputy chairman of the State Duma committee on physical culture, sports, tourism and youth affairs Arthur Taymazov called the IOC’s verdict “absolutely correct”.
“We understand that athletes were uncertain. All professionals who were mentally ready to perform and win gold medals began to fail in preparation. It is true that the Games decided to postpone. I hope that there will no longer be such a problem and we will be able to overcome this virus, ”the deputy said in an interview with RT.
A similar point of view was expressed by the Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin.
“In this difficult time, the health of athletes, organizers, and the health of representatives of all countries - members of the IOC are at the forefront. We will build our interaction with the national federations in the training process. Currently, most of the members of the national teams are at the bases, we are interacting with the federations regarding the issue of the further training process and the resumption of competitions. We will do our best to ensure the continuity of the training process, athletes need it. And this cycle should not be interrupted, ”Tatsy quotes Matytsin’s words.
Supported the transfer of the Olympic Games to 2021 and the head of RUSADA Yuri Ganus. He emphasized that in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, it is more difficult for anti-doping inspectors to test athletes.
“We provide them with protection, even give masks to athletes, but still the test mode when the athlete is in quarantine is limited and complicated. But one of the main factors is the end of the process in CAS, the willingness of athletes to fulfill the criteria that can be accepted by the arbitral tribunal in case of winning WADA. Therefore, it is best now to prepare for the Olympics and conduct anti-doping testing in a calm mode. Especially without the restrictions and time pressure that could have been after the completion of the CAS process when making demands from WADA, ”Sport24 quotes Ganus.