Canada refusing to attend 2020 Olympics amid COVID-19 pandemic
Posted March 22, 2020 6:35 pm.
Last Updated March 22, 2020 7:38 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Team Canada will not be at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo although they will attend if the Games are postponed until 2021.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee said in a statement Sunday they are demanding a delay of one year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It calls on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to call of the Games.
“We offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” the statement reads.
Canada will not be sending any athletes to Tokyo this summer, where the Games were set to start on July 24.
“This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health. With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”
#TeamCanada will not send athletes to Games in summer 2020 due to COVID-19 risks.
https://t.co/AKmI2rbyeO pic.twitter.com/8McEbgirVp
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) March 23, 2020
The COC’s statement comes amid a chorus of criticism aimed at the International Olympic Committee’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
IOC president Thomas Bach said earlier Sunday that they’d set a deadline of four weeks to determine the fate of the Games, and that the global organization is considering options including postponement.
Cancelling the Games entirely, Bach said, is not being considered.
It was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that the IOC had admitted that it would consider other options.
With files from The Canadian Press
