Tokyo Olympics 2020 deferred till next year due to coronavirus outbreak: Japan PM Shinzo Abe

Tokyo, March 24: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday (March 24) agreed to postpone this year's Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After speaking with Bach on the phone, Abe told reporters that they will aim to hold the Olympics and Paralympics next year.

"After his telephone talks with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, PM Shinzo Abe spoke to the press & explained that the two have agreed that the Tokyo Olympic Games would not be cancelled, & the games will be held by the summer of 2021," PM's Office of Japan informed.

Tokyo 2020: Official decision regarding postponement to be taken in the coming days

After his telephone talks with IOC President Bach, PM Abe spoke to the press and explained that the two have agreed that the Tokyo Olympic Games would not be cancelled, and the games will be held by the summer of 2021. pic.twitter.com/ihe8To2g3R

— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) March 24, 2020

Abe added that he hoped to reschedule the Olympics as a proof of human victory over the coronavirus pandemic. He said he expects the pandemic to be over by next year and the Olympics can be held by the summer of 2021 at the latest.

This is the first time when the quadrennial sporting event on the planet has been postponed during the time of peace.

Olympic history - breaking news.
2020 - Japan Tokyo. First time Olympics ever postponed in history.
1940 - Japan Tokyo. First time Olympics withdrawn from a city in history. @Tokyo2020

— Michael.R Payne (@MichaelRPayne1) March 24, 2020

The unprecedented delay will be a major blow to host Japan and is certain to have a cascade of economic, political and social ramifications. It will also pose considerable logistical challenges to Olympic organisers.

The phone talks came amid mounting pressure from athletes and sports organisations to reschedule the Olympics due to the rapid spread of the virus, and just a day after Abe told parliament that the Summer Games cannot be held under the current circumstances, suggesting for the first time that they may have to be postponed.

IOC President & Japan PM have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, & everybody involved in the Olympic Games: International Olympic Committee pic.twitter.com/qBUkRnHiQ1

— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2020

Earlier on Monday, IOC member Dick Pound told USA Today that the Tokyo Olympics 2020 is going to be postponed because of the deadly outbreak which has literally brought the world to a standstill.

Tokyo Olympics 2020 to be postponed, says IOC member Dick Pound

The report said the July 24-August 9 Tokyo Olympics will likely be held in 2021 with the details to be worked out in the next four weeks. "On the basis of the information, the IOC has, the postponement has been decided," Pound 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."

The Canadian and Australian Olympic and Paralympic committees have said they will not send teams to the Tokyo Games if they go ahead this summer as scheduled and this move too propelled the various stakeholders to come to a consensus.