Hours after officials from Canada and Australia announced they would not be sending athletes to compete, Dick Pound discloses that the postponement of the Games has been decided.
- March 24, 2020
AceShowbiz - The 2020 Olympics have been postponed for the first time in the history of the games.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound reveals the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan are not going to launch in July, as planned, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, although a formal announcement has yet to be made.
"On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided," he told USA Today.
"The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know."
He added, "We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense."
The news emerges hours after Olympic officials from Canada and Australia announced on Monday (March 23) that they would not be sending athletes to compete in the big sporting event as scheduled, citing the risks to public health.
IOC bosses have faced increasing pressure to delay the Summer Olympics as the spread of COVID-19 worsens, with representatives on Sunday explaining they will "take a month to decide" upon the future of Tokyo 2020.
Pound's comments come as UEFA soccer chiefs confirm the Champions League final has been put on hold indefinitely as a result of the coronavirus choas. It had been due to take place in Istanbul, Turkey on 30 May.
As of Monday, more than 16,300 people worldwide have died from the virus since it was first detected in December (19), with over 372,000 cases of infection confirmed.
