Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo postponed
25 March, 2020 in Qais Al-Dhalai, Featured, Tokyo 2020, Japan, Olympics by Asia Rugby
Asia Rugby President Mr Qais al Dhalai, on Tuesday, welcomed the decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics and issued the following statement expressing solidarity with all involved.
“We at Asia Rugby welcome the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee’s Qais al dhalaidecision to postpone the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo.
“We have seen the strength and resolve of the Japanese people and we know whenever the games will be held, they will reflect the same spirit that we saw during the challenges with super typhoon Hagibis at the last year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.
“We at Asia Rugby strongly believe that this historical decision has been taken for the best interest of the Olympic movement and for humanity in general.”
World Rugby Statement on the postponement of Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo
World Rugby supports the prudent and necessary decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee to postpone the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The health and safety of the athletes, fans, and everyone involved is our shared priority and responsibility and we believe the right decision has been taken in these very difficult and unprecedented circumstances.
We look forward to working closely together in a spirit of partnership with the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and all other stakeholders towards the rescheduling of the Games and our belief from the outstanding Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, is that the hosts will come out of this adversity stronger and more committed than ever before to deliver an exceptional Games.
Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo to rescheduled
They were joined by Mori Yoshiro, the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee; the Olympic Minister, Hashimoto Seiko; the Governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko; the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission, John Coates; IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper; and the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director, Christophe Dubi.
President Bach and Prime Minister Abe expressed their shared concern about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and what it is doing to people’s lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes’ preparations for the Games.
In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against COVID-19.
The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is “accelerating”. There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.
In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan 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 and the international community.
The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.
https://www.asiarugby.com/2020/03/25/games-of-the-xxxii-olympiad-in-tokyo-to-rescheduled/
