Tokyo Olympics: Coronavirus or WWIII? IOC Does What Has Only Been Done Before in WWI and WWII

For those still not taking the threat of coronavirus seriously, this news might just open up their eyes. In what was only done before during the World War 1 and World War 2, the International Olympic Committee has announced that the Olympics will be postponed and likely conducted in 2021. The last time this was done, as stated, was in 1916 because of WWI and 1940 for WWII.

Dick Pound, a senior member from the IOC was careful to use the word “likely” while talking about the possibility of organising the event in 2021, signifying the uncertainty the world faces at the moment.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Dick Pound said in a phone interview to 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.”

“It will come in stages,” he said. “We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”

What now for Tokyo Olympics?

Considering the gravity of the situation, this only seems the right call. The world is in a dreadful state right now, with no country being spared from the grasps of Coronavirus. No major sporting activity is going through. Whether there will be light at the end of the tunnel? It remains to be seen.

With regards to olympics, there were calls from Canada and Australia to postpone the Olympics before. They made it clear to IOC that they will be boycotting it, if it goes through. Despite this, IOC had no particular intention of cancelling it or announcing a change of date even. Up till yesterday, they were in line to start the olympics on the said date in Tokyo this year, but considering some alternative possibilities.

Much like the olympics, all sporting events are already cancelled or getting cancelled as the days pass by. With no clear timeframe in mind, all they can do is postpone it indefinitely. When the world will recover from this dreadful situation will we be able to understand the ramifications of the situation.