Canada seem to have throw down the gauntlet on the issue of Olympics Games postponement after issuing a statement yesterday that they are withdrawing from any Olympics that will be held this year should International Olympics Committee ( IOC) still go-ahead to hold it. Clearly stated that they are already planning for a one-year postponement of the Games.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) said they had made the “difficult decision” not to travel to Japan this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Their statement followed an announcement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday, where they said a final verdict on Tokyo 2020 will be reached within four weeks.
“The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring,” a statement said.
“While we recognise the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community. This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health”.
“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 community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow”.
“The COC and CPC reviewed the letter and news release sent Sunday by the IOC. We are thankful to the IOC for its assurance that it will not be cancelling the Tokyo 2020 Games and appreciative that it understands the importance of accelerating its decision-making regarding a possible postponement”.
“We also applaud the IOC for acknowledging that safeguarding the health and wellness of nations and containing the virus must be our paramount concern”.
“We are in the midst of a global health crisis that is far more significant than sport. The COC and CPC would like to thank our athletes, partners and the Canadian sport community for their patience and for lending us their voices during these unprecedented times”.
“We remain hopeful that the IOC and IPC will agree with the decision to postpone the Games as a part of our collective responsibility to protect our communities and work to contain the spread of the virus.”
