Health and safety come first before everything else. With the world’s current status, the Olympics may be inevitably postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has acknowledged that the 2020 games might not continue as scheduled due to the spread of the pandemic. Some athletes and committees will not send their representatives if the event will be held this summer, as The Korea Herald detailed:
Canada's Olympic and Paralympic committees meanwhile announced they will not send teams to the Games if they are held this summer, citing the health of their athletes and the general public.
And Australia's Olympic committee told athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Olympics in the northern-hemisphere summer of 2021.
"It's clear the Games can't be held in July," Australian chef de mission Ian Chesterman said.
For weeks, Japan and Olympic officials have held the line that preparations are moving ahead to hold the Games as scheduled, but there has been increasing pressure from sports federations and athletes whose training has been thrown into turmoil.
On Monday, Abe told parliament that Japan was still committed to hosting a "complete" Games, but added: "If that becomes difficult, in light of considering athletes first, it may become inevitable that we make a decision to postpone."
image via wikimedia commons
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