Reaction to postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics


Reaction to postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

WhatsApp Image 2020 03 23 at 12.31.51

On Tuesday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach agreed that the Olympics Games will be postponed to summer of 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic.

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In history of modern Olympic Games for the first time games are postponed. Before this, games are cancelled three times due to world war in 1916, 1940 and 1944.

As the news breaks out, athletes, national associations and sports federation around the world reacted with sadness and goodwill.

IOC president Thomas Bach

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“The Olympic flame will be the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra

“What the world is facing is an unprecedented situation and I think the IOC is rightly guided by their principle that the health and safety of the athletes and that of everybody involved at Tokyo and being responsible for the containment of the virus is paramount. That is the guiding principle. This is just the way things have evolved in the last few days it is obviously impossible to guarantee that. The decision is absolutely correct and that is also the feedback the IOC athletes commission, which I am a part of, has been receiving from athletes across the world.”

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe

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“It’s by a distance the right decision. The world is in a really difficult, dangerous situation. Sport can be no different… just simply it felt wrong to continue along that road given where the rest of the world is at the moment.”

International Hockey Federation CEO Thierry Weil

“The message of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch that “Hope Lights Our Way” could not be more pertinent at this time. We look forward to outstanding Olympic Games in Tokyo next year!”

Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge

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“All in all a very wise decision to postpone the Olympics until 2021. I look forward to come back to Japan to defend my Olympic title next year and look forward to witness a wonderful event. I wish everybody good health in these challenging times.”

Indian Olympic Association

“IOA welcomes the decision of IOC. Discussions were held by IOC with organisers and all stakeholders prior to this. Soon after the lock down is over, IOA would be holding meetings with Athletes, Federations, Sponsors, etc. to revise plans. This decision today, relieves our athletes of worries of having to train now during epidemic and perform their best in 4 months from now”

PV Sindhu, Olympic silver medallist

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“It’s a very good decision to postpone the Olympics. Of course we trained hard and waited for four years to compete at the Olympics. Our goal now moves from three months to one year away but right now our life is the priority.”

Indian men’s hockey coach Graham Reid

“The positive in this situation for us is that we have another year to work with this young squad.”

French double Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner

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“See you in 2021, Tokyo. First, we have to win a huge fight.”