Editorial content for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games coverage is sponsored by GMX7.
See full event coverage. Follow GMX7 on Instagram at @GMX7training #gmx7
The Canadian Olympic Committee Sunday night escalated the pressure on the International Olympic Committee to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, releasing a statement that it has “made the difficult decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020.”
That statement by the COC and Canadian Paralympic Committee was backed by the nation’s Athlete’s Commission and national sport organizations as well as the government in light of the coronavirus global pandemic.
From the statement:
“The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community.”
Swimming Canada was quick to support USA Swimming’s push for a postponement of the Games last week, but this represents a broader and more comprehensive push from a nation that sent the ninth-largest delegation to the 2016 Rio Olympics. It piles on wide support from athletes in favor of postponement and is a step further than the French foreign minister’s casting of doubt on French participation in the Games. Australia also has stated that it would not except Olympic athletes from its travel bans aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The release cites the decision as rooted in both athlete and the greater public health: “With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”
The IOC Sunday said that it will discuss the future of the Olympics over the next four weeks, the organization reticent to make what it would deem a premature call to postpone. Only three Olympics – 1916, 1940 and 1944 – have ever been cancelled, all due to world wars.
The Statement in Full:
Team Canada will not send athletes to Games in summer 2020 due to COVID-19 risks
TORONTO (March 22, 2020) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), backed by their Athletes’ Commissions, National Sports Organizations and the Government of Canada, have made the difficult decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020.
The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community.
This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health. With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.
The COC and CPC reviewed the letter and news release sent Sunday by the IOC. We are thankful to the IOC for its assurance that it will not be cancelling the Tokyo 2020 Games and appreciative that it understands the importance of accelerating its decision-making regarding a possible postponement.
We also applaud the IOC for acknowledging that safeguarding the health and wellness of nations and containing the virus must be our paramount concern. We are in the midst of a global health crisis that is far more significant than sport.
The COC and CPC would like to thank our athletes, partners and the Canadian sport community for their patience and for lending us their voices during these unprecedented times. We remain hopeful that the IOC and IPC will agree with the decision to postpone the Games as a part of our collective responsibility to protect our communities and work to contain the spread of the virus.
Extraordinary Events In Swimming History:
Our coverage:
- Games Over For Tokyo 2020: Australian Travel Ban ‘May Last 6 Months’; 70% Back Tokyo 2021 In USA Poll
- French Health Minister: “I Don’t See France Sending Athletes To Tokyo Olympics” In July
- Michael Gross Issues Albatross Warning To Bach: Save Olympic Dreams With Tokyo 2021
- Swimming New Zealand Asks Athletes If They Would Attend Trials At A Time Of Coronavirus Crunch
- If Tokyo A No Go Cate Campbell Makes Call To Swim On Till 2024
- Maxime Rooney Offers Perspective in Time of Chaos
- Mel Marshall: Safety Of The Athletes & The Nation Is Paramount In Global Tragedy
- Bravo! To The Tokyo 2021 Advocates As Swim Leaders Navigate A Big Bend In The River
- ISL Boss Grigorishin: Health & Safety Paramount +2020-21 Season To Respect Any Tokyo Change
- Swimming Canada ‘very much aligned’ with USA Swimming on Olympic postponement
- No Fear! Clark Kent Is Washing Hands, Dishes & Keeping Fit To Fight The Bug & Beyond
- USOPC Responds to USA Swimming’s “Postpone the Games” Message
- USA Swimming Calls For Olympic Postponement In Face Of USOPC Indecision
- “Olympics At The Moment…Would Not Be Fair,” Declares Dolphins Coach Jacco Verhaeren
- Can’t Swim? Here Are 25 Things You CAN Do To Stay In The Zone & Get Fighting Fit
- European Aquatics Championships Postponed Until August As LEN & Buda Curse The Pest
- BOA Will Not ‘Endanger Health & Wellbeing Of Athletes’ For Sake Of July Olympics
- The Soak: Norway To IOC “Tokyo 2020 Neither Justifiable Nor Desirable Until Coronavirus Dead”
- Jacob Pebley to USA Swimming: “Only Moral Option” is Postponing Trials, Olympics
- International Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Weekend Postponed Until Fall of 2020
- Bob Bowman, Frank Busch Back Postponement As 2021 Olympics Gains Ground
- USA Swimming Cancels All Events Through April 30
- French Swimming Boss & Pharmacist On The Frontline of Coronavirus War Denounces IOC & Tokyo 2020 Inaction As “Indecent & Shocking”
- Germany Postpones Olympic Swimming Trials & National Championships Until At Least End May In Coronavirus Lockdown
- Swimming Canada Axes Open Water Championships, Eyes Late June for Pool Trials
- IOC Doesn’t Want to Make ‘Any Drastic Decisions’ on Tokyo 202o
- British Olympic Swimming Trials Cancelled, Para-Swim Intl Gone & FINA Diving World Series Postponed
- A Season For Citius-Altius-Fortius Spirit From Olympic Bosses Not “Games On As Planned Or I’m Taking My Ball Home”
- Ben Higson: A Guide To Beating The Coronavirus Blues
- Swimming New Zealand Postpones Olympic Trials, Sets Second Time-Trial Event
- Open Water Champs, Pro Swim Series Mission Viejo Latest USA Swimming Events Altered by COVID-19
- 600 Chinese Olympic Athletes Training In Coronavirus Containment In Paris Up To Departure For Tokyo 2020, Claims IOC Member
- End-April German Championships In Doubt As Olympic Bosses Quarrel In Public Over Fate Of Tokyo 2020
- The Week That Was: Coronavirus Causes Worldwide Shutdown
- Commentary: 2020 Spring Season Cancelled by NCAA is NOT the New Normal
- The Soak: Russian Trials to be Held, But Without Spectators: British Swimming CEO Buckner Pays Tribute
- Katie Drabot, NCAA Swimmers Trying To Find Places to Train, Sleep After Campuses Close
- Maddy Gough Forced To Train In Isolation After Rushing Home From High Altitude Training Camp in Spain
- Postcards From Pellegrini & Co In Coronavirus Containment: “We’ll Be Back Stronger Than Ever”
- New Zealand Marches On In March Madness Of Cancellations: Olympic Trials To Be Held Without Spectators
- NCAA Swimming Cancellation: ‘Powerful Stuff When You Have to Mess With Kids’ Dreams’
- Brown Water Polo’s Felix Mercado on Cancellation of Ivy Athletics: Doomsday for Our Season
- The Soak – Coronavirus Pandemic Causes 14th African Swimming Championships To Be Postponed
- Eve Thomas, Michael Pickett and Lea Muellner On Mad Dash Home To New Zealand Olympic Trials To Beat Quarantine Deadline
- Great Britain Olympic Swimming Trials Set To Be Postponed As UK U-Turns On Mass Gatherings & Sports Events
- France Postpones Olympic Swimming Trials & Nationals Until June & All Other National Events Are Off
- Stars React, ‘Restrategize’ after Postponement of Canadian Olympic Trials
- NCAA Agrees Eligibility Relief Appropriate For Spring Sports; Winter Sports Still Uncertain
- Swimming Canada Officially Postpones Olympic Trials, Paralympic Trials
- US Masters Swimming Cancels Spring National Championship
- USA Diving Suspends All Activities For 30 Days
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo Hails Healthcare Heroes & Urges Fans To Fight Coronavirus With Strict Hygiene Protocol
- European Aquatics Championships Swim Into Choppy Waters As Hungary Declares State Of Emergency & Locks Borders
- Dutch Olympic-Qualifier Swim Cups Cancelled In Coronavirus Lockdown
- The Soak – Swim Ireland Announces Postponement Of Olympic Trials Until End Of June
- Swimming Australia Cancels Australian Championships And Age Nationals to Combat Coronaavirus
- Swimming Canada Axes Open Water Championships, Eyes Late June for Pool Trials
- Spanish Swimming Nationals And Olympic Trials Latest In Wave Of Coronavirus Cancellations
- NCAA Cancels Winter Championships, Including Swimming And Diving
- USA Swimming to Cancel All Events For 30 Days Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic
- France Cancels Junior Nationals On Extraordinary Day In Swim History Ahead of Crunch Decision On Olympic Trials
- Scandinavian Swimming Shutdown: Danish Open, Olympic Trials, Swim Open Stockholm Off; Pools Shut & Norway Bans All Sport Events In Coronavirus Lockdown
- FINA Confirms Postponement of the Men’s Olympic Water Polo Qualifier in Rotterdam
- FINA Cancels/ Postpones Swathe Of Aquatic Events Due To Coronavirus Pandemic, Some Decisions Pending
- Peaty, Anderson & Co Set For Edinburgh Against The Backdrop Of Coronavirus
- Italian Struggle To Find Swimming Pools To Train In Sparks #stopolympics Coronavirus Lockdown Campaign
- The Soak – WADA Warns Of Unintended Consequences As Rodchenkov Act On Whistleblowing Takes Step Closer To Becoming U.S. Law
- British Olympic Association & Athletes Reach Agreement Over IOC Rule
- WHO Set To Give ‘Basic Thoughts’ On Olympics & Coronavirus As Unrepentant Tokyo 2020 Board Member Sounds “Warning Bell”
- NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships Now Closed to Spectators
- COVID-19 Leads Argentina to Cancel South American Championships
- Ivy League To Cancel All Athletic Events Through Remainder Of Spring
- Coronavirus Causes China Olympic Swimming Trials Postponement
- Italy Cancels Olympic Swim Trials & Wave Of Other Aquatic Championships In Coronavirus Lockdown
Guidance on Water and Coronavirus
Good! Now let’s see other countries make the same decision!
Good for you Canada!
I hope others follow in protest. It’s unfortunate it’s come to this, the IOC needs to push back the competing dates
My heart breaks for these athletes. I hate that this is happening at all, but now, after years of training and sacrificing to have it all pulled away. This comes from the mother of a competitive athlete who has watched events he worked years to qualify for be cancelled. Yes, I know there will be others and that life is more important, but these kids still deserve the chance to grieve what they’ve lost.
Kelly Spencer Williams understood but there are many grieving for loved ones taken by this virus……I am sn athlete but my thoughts are mostly with them right now and the immediate goal of keeping family safe. Stay safe ✊
Peter Scott did you even read my comment?! I in no way downplayed what is going on, but brought up what others are facing as a consequence.
Kelly Spencer Williams yes I did. I am currently 4days in lockdown and my priority is to stay safe. But to hold the Olympics would be in bad taste considering the efforts and sacrifices the people are making to contain the disease. Olympics are a luxury not a necessity. Going to Tokyo to race. While people are not even allowed to go to the market is not right.
Sacrifices have to be made. Getting up at 5:15am and training 6 days a week and forgoing disco and other activities is not a sacrifice. Refraining from what you love is a sacrifice.
Sorry but I’m not getting at you. Stay safe?
Peter Scott I said I feel for the athletes who have the right to mourn what they have lost during this pandemic. Years of those early mornings, two a day practices, six days a week. Working to make the time cut to get to reach the big meet and then losing the chance to participate. They have a right to feel disappointment and for some of them, this was the end, there will be no next season, so let them mourn. It doesn’t take away from the pandemic, it shows empathy.
Kelly Spencer Williams I agree 100%. Really sorry if it came across that I was getting at you. Stay safe?
May want to update the title of the article to include the Paralympic Games as well as those are a separate competition and they have the same stance.
John Mcleod since they used Tess Routliffe as the cover picture and all…
“Postpone today! Conquer tomorrow!”
Well being of athletes always comes first!
POSTPONE THE OLYMPICS til everything calms down and this will give the athletes time to mentally recuperate from this Outbreak/ Quarantine and also the time to physically Train/ Condition their bodies to perform at supreme levels.
It’s crazy to think anything other than postponement is even an option. Well done Team Canada! ??
Keep athletes safe, keep athlete preparation fair!
Why they even proceed with the olympic? Does sports are more important than people’s lives? ???
Why so selfish?
What a wonderful move for Canada ?? and therefore the world ?
Indeed. Good on ’em
Olympics should not be cancelled.
Well done Canada. Now the rest of the freaking world needs to wake the hell up. It’s too much pressure for athletes. Postpone it and get it over with.
??????