THE Olympic Games have been moved to 2021, it has been confirmed.
A joint statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee confirmed the decision in light of the constantly changing situation with regard to COVID-19.
Only on Sunday, the IOC said it was imposing a four-week deadline on making a decision.
However, there were increasing calls to speed up that decision with a number of member organisations, sports and athletes – including Donegal race walker Brendan Boyce – urging a postponement.
Today, that decision has been confirmed following a conference call that included IOC President Thomas Bach and the Prime Minister of Japan, Abe Shinzo.
The statement said: “In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.
“The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present.
“Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.”
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