World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe has called for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed over the coronavirus pandemic as Canada pulled out of the Games and Japan’s prime minister admitted a delay could be “inevitable”.
Australia also told its
athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as expectations grew that the
event, scheduled to start on July 24, would be postponed.
Japanese and Olympic
officials had stuck resolutely to the line that the Summer Games would go ahead
on time, but criticism from athletes and sports bodies has swelled to a
crescendo in recent days.
In a letter to
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, written before Sunday’s
IOC meeting, World Athletics president Coe asked for the Games to be moved.
“Whilst we all know that
different parts of the world are at different stages of the virus, the
unanimous view across all our areas is that an Olympic Games in July this year
is neither feasible nor desirable,” Coe said in his letter.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
told parliament on Monday that Japan was still committed to a “complete” Games,
but conceded “it may become inevitable that we make a decision to postpone”.
It was the second major
concession in a matter of hours after the IOC said “the scenario of
postponement” was one of the options under consideration, with a final decision
due within four weeks.
“Human lives take
precedence over everything, including the staging of the Games,” the IOC’s Bach
wrote in an open letter to athletes after emergency talks.
“Cancellation would not
solve any problem and would help nobody,” Bach added. “Therefore it is not on
our agenda.”
‘Not solely about
athlete health’
Athletes and sports
bodies have become increasingly vocal after restrictions imposed because of
COVID-19 wrecked competition schedules and often made training impossible – and
risky.
Canada highlighted the
dangers to the broader community as they became the first team to withdraw from
the Olympics and Paralympics, urging a year’s postponement.
“This is not solely about
athlete health – it is about public health,” the Canadian Olympic Committee
said.
“With COVID-19 and the
associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of
their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue
training towards these Games.”
Britain’s world 200m
champion Dina Asher-Smith said the IOC’s approach was “irresponsible”.
“So wait… does this
mean that athletes face up to another FOUR weeks of finding ways to fit in
training – whilst potentially putting ourselves, coaches, support staff and
loved ones at risk just to find out they were going to be postponed anyway?”
she tweeted.
In his letter, Coe voiced
concerns over the issue of competition fairness, with many athletes struggling
to train properly, and potential injuries if they have to push themselves
harder nearer the Games.
“No one wants to see the
Olympic Games postponed but as I have said publicly, we cannot hold the event
at all costs, certainly not at the cost of athlete safety,” he said.
Crowds flock for flame
The IOC is responsible for making any final decision on the Games, and has come under increasing pressure as the coronavirus emergency grows, with more than 14,400 deaths worldwide, according to an AFP tally.
It warned that the
logistics of postponing the Games were extremely complicated, with venues
potentially unavailable, millions of hotel nights already booked and a packed
international sports calendar.
However, Australian
Olympic officials said “it’s clear” that the Tokyo Games cannot go ahead as
scheduled and told its athletes to prepare for a year’s postponement.
US track legend Carl
Lewis had earlier became just the latest prominent voice to call for a delay,
following similar demands from the American, French and Spanish athletics
associations.
The virus has already had
an impact on the Games, with qualifiers cancelled and events to celebrate the
Olympic torch arrival and relay scaled back.
Despite the measures,
more than 50,000 people flocked to a cauldron displaying the flame in
northeastern Japan, raising fears about whether the relay can be held safely.
Some waited in a
500-metre (yard) queue for several hours, Japanese media said.
“I queued for three hours but watching the Olympic flame was greatly encouraging,” a 70-year-old woman told public broadcaster NHK.