Olympic Committee Member Says The Summer Games Will Be Postponed

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Flame Arrives Japan

Hours after Canada and Australia announced they would not be sending athletes to Tokyo for the Summer Olympics due to the global coronavirus pandemic, International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said officials are planning to postpone the 2020 Games. Pound told USA Today that the committee has not finalized their plans, but said that the Games will not begin on July 24.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound said in a phone interview. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”

He suggested that the Games could be rescheduled for the summer of 2021, adding that it will take time to come up with a full plan on how to move forward with the massive task of moving the event.

“It will come in stages,” said Pound. “We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”

The IOC has not officially announced the Summer Olympics have been postponed. On Sunday, IOC President Thomas Bach ruled out canceling the games and said that he will be working over the next four weeks to determine the best way to move forward with the Summer Games.

To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.


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