CANADA and Australia said they would not be sending athletes to the Tokyo Olympics if the Games went ahead as scheduled this year as pressure on organizers to postpone because of the coronavirus pandemic reached fever pitch yesterday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese Government had Sunday and yesterday slightly shifted their position that the Games would start as planned July 24, announcing a month-long consultation over other scenarios.

That was not sufficient for the Canadians or Australians, who said they would not be participating if the Games were not pushed back to 2021.

Canada’s Olympic Committee (COC) and Paralympic Committee (CPC) released a statement saying that while they recognized the complexities of a postponement, “nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community.”

Soon after the Canadian statement, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said it had told its athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Games taking place in 2021.

“The AOC (Executive Board) unanimously agreed that an Australian team could not be assembled in the changing circumstances at home and abroad,” read the statement.

“The AOC believes our athletes now need to prioritize their own health and of those around them, and to be able to return to the families, in discussion with their national federations.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe followed suit early on Monday by telling parliament that postponement may be considered if holding the Games in its “complete form” became impossible.

“If that becomes difficult, we may have no option but to consider postponing the Games, given the Olympic principle of putting the health of athletes first,” he said.

Abe also said calling off the Games entirely was not an option, echoing the IOC position in its statement that cancellation “was not on the agenda.”

(SD-Agencies)