The spread of COVID-19 has rapidly turned into a global pandemic and events have been called off throughout the world. As gatherings of all sizes have been cancelled or rescheduled, the future of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, one of the year’s biggest gatherings, has been a hot topic of discussion. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japan initially announced they would make a decision about the future of the Games by April.
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Unsatisfied with the announcement, and unwilling to put the health and safety of athletes at risk, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced the country would not participate in the Games if they were to take place in 2020. Other nations such as Australia and Brazil quickly followed suit, pulling out of the Olympics and urging the IOC to make a decision on the postponement of the 2020 Games.
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On Mar. 24, Japan’s Prime Minister officially announced the postponement of the Games. The IOC and Japanese government agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan, as a “beacon of hope”. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.
As the Olympic Flame reaches Tokyo: President Thomas Bach: “while we do not know how long the tunnel we are all in at this moment will be, we would like the Olympic Flame to be a light at the end of this tunnel.” @tokyo2020 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/ORVxrcqzoV
— Olympics (@Olympics) March 20, 2020
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New dates
On Mar. 30, the IOC announced the new dates for the event. The Olympics will run from July 24 to Aug. 8, 2021 and the Paralympics will take place between Aug. 24 and Sept. 5, 2021.
IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and Tokyo Metropolitan Government announce new dates for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 https://t.co/QITtT5dcl8 pic.twitter.com/DHi4u74ZXa
— Olympics (@Olympics) March 30, 2020
“I am confident that, working together with the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese Government and all our stakeholders, we can master this unprecedented challenge,” says IOC president Thomas Bach. “Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel. These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel.”
