As the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic and most sports leagues and events have shut down operation for the foreseeable future, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a statement on Tuesday that said it was too early to make “any drastic decisions” in regards to the staging of this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“The IOC remains fully committed to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and with more than four months to go before the Games, there is no need for any drastic decisions at this stage; and any speculation at this moment would be counter-productive,” the IOC said in a statement.
The International Olympic Committee’s executive board met in Lausanne on Tuesday, and IOC President Thomas Bach is expected to hold a teleconference on Wednesday with the heads of all national federations, according to a report by Reuters. The Olympics are scheduled to begin July 24 and run through August 9, and with the NBA, Euro 2020, NHL and other major sports organizations around the world suspending their seasons, the IOC’s premier gala remains one of the few events still scheduled.
Although the IOC has remained steadfast that the Olympic Games will go on as scheduled, despite more than 180,000 worldwide cases of the Coronavirus, there have been some conflicts concerning that likelihood. Recently, Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi expressed his personal feelings that the Games should be postponed until next year, or 2022. However, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responded by stating Japan would indeed hold the Olympics on their scheduled dates.
With many qualifying competitions canceled around the world, concerns have arisen that athletes will be on uneven playing fields in their preparation for the Games. The IOC recognized that the Coronavirus has impacted training but encouraged athletes to do “as best they can.” The IOC noted that 57 percent of the athletes who will compete in Tokyo have already qualified for the Games, and that the organization will work with national federations to adapt the qualifying system for Tokyo.
“The health and well-being of all those involved in the preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is our number-one concern,” Bach said in the IOC statement. “All measures are being taken to safeguard the safety and interests of athletes, coaches and support teams. We are an Olympic community. We support one another in good times and in difficult times. This Olympic solidarity defines us as a community.”
Extraordinary Events In Swimming History:
Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Italy, France, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Brazil and Japan have all had major meets affected by the coronavirus pandemic, while in the United States, the NCAA Championships have been cancelled and USA Swimming has imposed a 30-day suspension on all events, while Canada is considering what to do about its Olympic trials early next month. In Italy, where swimmers are struggling to maintain normal routines, can’t get to practice and in some cases find pool time, a #stopolympics campaign was launched by the Nuoto website calling on solidarity among swimming nations to recognise that Olympic preparations have been blown off course and that it would be in the interests of fairness to postpone the Games for a time of calm beyond the coronavirus crisis.
Our coverage:
- Commentary: A Season For Citius-Altius-Fortius Spirit From Olympic Bosses Not “Games On As Planned Or I’m Taking My Ball Home”
- Swimming New Zealand Postpones Olympic Trials, Sets Second Time-Trial Event
- IOC President Thomas Bach to Hold Teleconference with National Federations
- Open Water Champs, Pro Swim Series Mission Viejo Latest USA Swimming Events Altered by COVID-19
- Covid-19 Emergency Threatens Postponement of Champions League Final Eight Water Polo Tournament
- Free Webinar on Leadership During Coronavirus Concerns
- USA Water Polo Cancels Upcoming Events
- Olympic Bosses Said To Have Ruled Out Spectator-Free Tokyo 2020 Games As Bach Faces Rising Tide Of Calls To Postpone
- 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 Evaluating Possible Contingency Plans for Olympic 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
- Coronavirus And Swimmers: CDC Issues Guidance On Water Transmission & COVID-19
- 2008 Uni of Arizona Research Called For More Study Into Survival Of Coronavirus in Water [UPDATED March 11 – Link To CDC Guide]
Craig Lord High probability they would like it to be someone else’s decision to postpone/cancel. WHO might just come through for them. This would solve a lot of financial woes. The athletes will be ready no matter when the Games are contested. (The good ones anyway).
You say the good athletes will be ready no matter when the games are contested. Do the athletes who cannot train because their facility is closed and are unable to train and maintain their fitness level are not good. Another post from an armchair athlete who knows nothing about high level athletes!
John Zakala how can people compete on a level playing field? Pools are closing!
IOC can’t decide, leads to federations who can’t decide, leads to coaches questioning their planning leading to tremendous anxiety for the athletes. Leaders collect all necessary info and make informed decisions in a timely manner. Hopefully decisions come soon so the sporting world can recharge their preparation!
