With mounting pressure from nations announcing their plans to not send delegations to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, an International Olympic Committee member announced on Monday that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are officially postponed. The International Committee will work on the possibility of hosting the Games in 2021.
Officially from the International Committee on Sunday, IOC President Thomas Bach stated the committee would begin exploring alternate ways to stage the Games, including postponement, and plan to reach a decision within the next four weeks.
Dick Pound, International Olympic Committee member released on Monday, “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided. The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24. that much I know. We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”
Canada and Australia announced over the weekend that they would not send delegations to Tokyo. Brazil, Norway, Germany, and other nations have issued statements supporting postponement in 2020.
The Summer Olympics have been canceled in the past, but never suspended. The 1916 Summer Games were canceled due to World War I; the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in 1940 and 1944 were not held due to World War II.
More details when official statement is released from the International Olympic Committee.
