The International Olympic Committee said Sunday it is considering postponing the Tokyo Olympics, as athletes and sports organizations continued to call for the Summer Games to be delayed.
In a statement, the IOC said its executive board "will step up its scenario-planning" in response to the coronavirus, which has shut down Olympic qualifying events around the globe and disrupted athletes' training. That will include exploring alternate dates for the Olympics, scheduled for July 24-Aug. 9. The IOC said it expects to finalize a plan within four weeks.
Hours after the statement was issued, the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees announced they would not send teams to Tokyo if the Games begin as scheduled. They asked for a one-year postponement of both the Olympics and the Paralympics, which are set to begin Aug. 25.
The IOC reiterated that "cancellation is not on the agenda," as IOC President Thomas Bach has stated many times. Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said Monday morning in Tokyo that the Games would not be canceled, but that postponement could be unavoidable.
"If it is difficult to hold in a complete way, a decision of postponement would be unavoidable," Abe said.
Sunday's developments came after USA Swimming, USA Track and Field and the national Olympic committees of Norway and Brazil urged postponement of the Tokyo Games. Australia told its athletes to prepare for a 2021 Olympics. A member of the Japanese Olympic Committee board, Kaori Yamaguchi, told Japan's Nikkei newspaper that the Games should be delayed. USA Today reported Sunday that 70% of athletes who participated in a virtual town hall with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said they wanted the Games postponed.
In a letter to athletes Sunday, Bach acknowledged the stress caused by the uncertainty but repeated that it would "still be premature" to reschedule now.
"A decision about a postponement today could not determine a new date for the Olympic Games, because of the uncertain developments in both directions: an improvement, as we are seeing in a number of countries thanks to the severe measures being taken, or a deteriorating situation in other countries," Bach wrote.
"The IOC wants to be part of the solution. Therefore, we have made it our leading principle to safeguard the health of everyone involved, and to contribute to containing the virus. We will adhere to this in all our decisions concerning the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020."
The statement marked a shift in tone for the IOC. Bach has resisted calls for postponement or cancellation, and last Tuesday, the IOC still was encouraging athletes to continue to prepare for the Games "as best they can."
As the coronavirus continues to spread, athletes have become sharply critical of the IOC's reluctance to delay the Games. Several have publicly supported the calls by USA Swimming and USA Track and Field for a one-year postponement. Canada's Olympic and Paralympic committees echoed that appeal, then went a step further by saying they would not compete in Tokyo this summer.
The Canadians posted a statement on their website Sunday night, noting their athletes' commissions, the Canadian government and Canada's national sports organizations supported the decision.
"We offer our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring," the statement read. "Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community."
Riptide Swim Team coach Mike Parratto, who coaches world record holder Regan Smith of Lakeville, agreed with USA Swimming's stance. He said there is not "a level playing field" right now for athletes to train. Some cities, states and countries have closed all sports facilities, while some have lesser restrictions.
If the Olympics are held as planned, or delayed for only a short time, many athletes could not be ready for peak performance. Parratto said a one-year postponement would allow qualifying events, Olympic trials and the Olympics to be run on the same schedule that was laid out for this year.
"The issue here is much bigger than swimming," Parratto said. "All you need to do is look at three minutes of TV or look on the internet and see what's happened over the last couple of weeks. It makes sense worldwide to delay the Olympics.
"Do I wish this could go on as planned? Sure I do. But under the circumstances, how can it? How can you even think it's going to happen?"
The USOPC and its Athletes' Advisory Council issued a joint statement Sunday praising the "progress reflected" in the IOC announcement, adding they are eager to explore ways to ensure athletes have a fulfilling Olympic experience "regardless of when that can safely occur."
"Our athlete community continues to face enormous ambiguity surrounding the 2020 Games," the statement said. "We are all appreciative that the IOC has heard our concerns and needs, and is working to address them as quickly as possible."
In his letter to athletes, Bach said there have been significant improvements in Japan's ability to control the coronavirus, strengthening the IOC's confidence that the country could be ready to host the Games "with certain safety restrictions." But as the virus spreads, the IOC decided it was time to look more seriously at other options.
The IOC will lead discussions with the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, Japanese authorities and the Tokyo city government. The statement noted how complex a postponement would be; 33 Olympic sports would have to adapt their competition calendars, some Olympic venues might not be available, and thousands of hotel reservations would have to be changed.
The Olympic torch arrived in northern Japan last Friday ahead of this week's start of the torch relay, though officials are looking to keep crowds low.
As of Sunday, Japan had 1,719 confirmed cases of the virus, including 712 from a cruise ship, with 43 deaths. Japan has so far managed to slow the acceleration of the outbreak, but experts say they have found a growing number of clusters in urban areas with untraceable origins.
Abe said last week he wanted to stage the Olympics in "a complete way," meaning they would not be scaled back or held without spectators. If that isn't possible, he added Monday, postponement would be unavoidable.
