TOKYO: The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed until 2021 on Tuesday, ending weeks of speculation the games could not go ahead as scheduled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the decision after speaking to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and local organisers.
The IOC said the games would be held not later than summer of 2021 but they would still be called the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO, IOC president Thomas Bach and the prime minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community, the IOC said in a statement. – Agencies
