The IOC President and prime minister of Japan have concluded that the XXXII Olympic Games in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020.
The new date will be no later than Summer 2021 and will still be titled: The 2020 Olympics.
Following that decision, the International Paralympic Committee announced that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games have been postponed until 2021.
“Postponing the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as a result of the global COVID-19 outbreak is absolutely the right thing to do. The health and well-being of human life must always be our number one priority and staging a sport event of any kind during this pandemic is simply not possible”, said IPC President, Andrew Parsons, on a statement.
Paris 2024 welcomes the decision to postpone the Tokyo Games
Everyone involved in the organisation of the Paris 2024 Games expresses their solidarity with Tokyo 2020
The joint decision by the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is proportional to the severity of the health crisis we are facing. It mirrors the need to rank human health and efforts to stop this virus spreading above any other consideration.
Paris 2024 commends the IOC and Japanese authorities: faced with an unprecedented and extremely complex situation, they chose the best possible scenario. Postponing the world’s largest sporting event is not an easy decision. The IOC and organisers took the time to consider all the options, in close cooperation with all the stakeholders and in accordance with the WHO’s recommendations. They listened to the sporting world’s concerns. Deferring the Tokyo Games will provide the athletes with optimal conditions to prepare and compete in them.
As the organizers of the Paris 2024 Games, the organizing committee, the sporting movement in France – CNOSF, CPSF – and public stakeholders – Paris city council, Greater Paris Metropolis, Seine-Saint-Denis departmental authorities, Ile-de-France Region, the French government, SOLIDEO and all the host authorities – we salute the spirit of responsibility and adaptation demonstrated by Tokyo 2020 in this unprecedented event. Their example will make us stronger and fitter to deal with the contingencies of our time.
With solidarity, we will stand alongside the Japanese Organising Committee to provide our full support as it takes on the new organisational challenge.
The Games are a huge brotherly and sisterly festivity. When the circumstances are right, we will be glad to see every nation gather again around Olympic and Paralympic values and celebrate sport.
More info at https://www.olympic.org
