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FINA, the international federation, has broken its silence to reveal that it will work with the Fukuoka organisers of the 2021 World Aquatics Championships after a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japan to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and shift the event on a year in response to the challenges of the coronavirus (COVID-198) pandemic.
It is too soon to say whether the dates of the World Championships in Fukuoka, set for Friday, July 16 to Sunday August 1 will have to be shifted or whether the outcome of the Olympic shift to Tokyo 2021 will see World Championships in various sports become incorporated into the Games, history the keeper of various precedents for such things.
Having issued no statements for five days as a wave of national federations led the way on calls for postponement and a Tokyo 2021 decision, such as that advocated by USA Swimming, FINA today issued the following statement:
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, FINA would like to reiterate its concern for all those affected. FINA is well aware of the issues faced by aquatics athletes around the world, especially with regard to training and pool access.
Moreover, following today’s joint announcement by the IOC and Tokyo 2020 Organisers, concerning the postponement of the Olympic Games for 2021, FINA will now work closely with the host organising committee of the 2021 FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, with the Japan Swimming Federation and with the Japanese public authorities, in order to determine flexibility around the dates of the competition, if necessary and in agreement with the IOC.
FINA’s main goal is to ensure the success of its showcase event, while considering the importance of athlete wellbeing and maximising opportunities for aquatics stars to compete at the highest level.
FINA would like to express its continued and sincere gratitude to the IOC, and both the organisers of Tokyo 2020 and the Fukuoka 2021 FINA World Championships, for their very considerable efforts to bring the world together peacefully through sport.
Swimming World has also been cancelled by the look of it. You cannot click on a single title, banner or heading (with or without that pointless grey stripe) without it coming to this article every time. The category headings don’t work either.
John, we can all see it and click on it… will report what you say to technical but the team spread across the world are not seeing what you see… what time of day, what time zone? thanks, Craig