GENEVA — A day after officially postponing the Tokyo Olympics, IOC president Thomas Bach invoked comments by President Donald Trump to defend himself from criticism on Wednesday.
Bach spoke to about 400 reporters on a conference call and was quizzed why, despite growing concern from athletes, it took so long to postpone the Tokyo Games. He noted that many governments have imposed social limits only into next month and pointed to Trump’s hope of easing restrictions by mid-April.
“In the last couple of weeks the measures of many governments, they were limited until middle of April, some beginning of May,” the International Olympic Committee president said. “You have maybe seen the latest declarations there in the United States from President Trump about the prospect of middle of April there being able to lift many restrictions.”
Bach and the IOC faced mounting criticism last week from athletes, including Olympic gold medallists , for continuing to publicly support holding the Tokyo Games as scheduled from July 24-Aug. 9. The Canadian Olympic committee said before the decision it would not send a team to Tokyo in 2020.
Even Trump said on March 12 at the White House that the Olympics should be postponed for a year.
The IOC board’s eventual decision on Tuesday, with Japanese government agreement, to delay until 2021 came a day after the World Health Organization said the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating.
Bach was also asked by a reporter from his native Germany if he had thought of resigning because of the athletes’ criticism.
“No,” he replied.
The postponement calls for the Tokyo Games to take place no later than the summer 2021, and Bach was asked about options if the pandemic continued into next year.
“We want, and we will, organize the games only in a safe environment,” he said.
Although an exact one-year postponement to July 23-Aug. 8 is possible, the Tokyo Games don’t have to open in July.
“All the options are on the table,” Bach said, adding that a task force of IOC and Japanese officials named “Here We Go” is looking at new dates.
“This task force can consider the broader picture. This is not just restricted to the summer months,” Bach said.
The IOC president called for compromise on all sides as the biggest sports event of 2020 now lands in the already congested calendar of 2021. Both track and swimming have their world championships scheduled for next year in July and August.
“This postponed Olympic Game will need sacrifices,” Bach said.
One issue for Tokyo organizers is retaining control of the village set to house most of the 11,000 athletes. The sprawling site on Tokyo Bay of more than 5,600 apartments is to be sold off after the Olympics. About 25% have reportedly been sold, with some costing more than $1 million.
“It is one of the many thousands of questions this task force will have to address,” Bach said.
One potential problem looks easily resolved. Sponsors whose IOC deals expire this year will continue through the rescheduled games, which will still be called the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They include Dow, General Electric and P&>.
“We see their full support for this,” Bach said. “For me, it’s a logical consequence that the sponsors … keep their rights even if the games are organized in ’21.”
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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
