TOKYO (AP) — A senior member of the International Olympic Committee said Tuesday that if it proves too dangerous to hold the Olympics in Tokyo this summer because of the coronavirus outbreak, organizers are more likely to cancel it altogether than to postpone or move it.
Dick Pound, a former Canadian swimming champion who has been on the IOC since 1978, making him its longest-serving member, estimated there is a three-month window — perhaps a two-month one — to decide the fate of the Tokyo Olympics, meaning a decision could be put off until late May.
“In and around that time, I’d say folks are going to have to ask: ‘Is this under sufficient control that we can be confident about going to Tokyo or not?’” he said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press.
While there are still a couple of months ahead of us before we have a definitive answer; it’s safe to say that skateboarding’s Olympic debut is looking shaky to say the least. We’ll continue to update as this story unfolds. You can read the full article here.
UPDATE 03.23.20: In a statement given to USA Today, the IOC’s Dick Pound announced that the 2020 Tokyo Games has officially been postponed.
“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound said in a phone interview. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”
While it’s unfortunate that skateboarding won’t be making its Olympic debut this year, this was clearly the right decision given the gravity of the current global health crisis. We’ll update when more information as it becomes available.