(DAILY MAIL) — Tokyo Olympics WILL be postponed until 2021, veteran IOC member Dick Pound says.The International Olympics Committee member confirmed that the competition will not take place this year.Pound told USA Today: ‘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.‘It will come in stages. We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.’It follows Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe has conceded that a delay to the Tokyo Olympic Games could be ‘inevitable’ as the world continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, Abe told parliament that Japan was still committed to hosting a ‘complete’ Games, but added: ‘If that becomes difficult, in light of considering athletes first, it may become inevitable that we make a decision to postpone.’
The decision came as Team Canada and Team Australia announced they will not be sending athletes if the games are staged this year.
