Canada, Australia Withdraw From Tokyo Olympics

Passersby, wearing face masks due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walk past a screen counting down the days to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan on March 23, 2020

Canada and Australia said they would not be sending athletes to the Tokyo Olympics if the Games went ahead as scheduled this year, as pressure on organisers to postpone because of the coronavirus pandemic reached fever pitch on Monday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government had on Sunday and Monday slightly shifted their position that the Games would start as planned on July 24, announcing a month-long consultation over other “scenarios”.

That was not sufficient for the Canadians or Australians, who said they would not be participating if the Games were not pushed back to 2021.

Canada’s Olympic Committee (COC) and Paralympic Committee (CPC) released a statement saying that while they recognised the complexities of a postponement, “nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community”.

Martin Richard, communications chief for the CPC, said the Canadians had been hoping for a decision on Sunday and decided to withdraw when none came.

“The world is facing a crisis and this is more important than any other sport event,” he told Reuters from Ottawa.

Richard said for Paralympic athletes, some of whom had underlying conditions, it would be risky to expose them if the virus was not contained.

“We felt it was unethical to have them be put in that position,” he said, adding that Canada had not been alone in applying pressure on the IOC to postpone.

More than 14,600 people have died globally since the coronavirus outbreak began and containment measures have severely hampered the ability of some athletes to prepare for the Games.

While many Canadian athletes and officials welcomed the COC’s move, some were not happy.

“I believe in the safety of our lives but this is premature,” Sage Watson, the reigning Pan American champion in the 400 metres hurdles, tweeted.

Soon after the Canadian statement, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said it had told its athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Games taking place in 2021.

“The AOC (Executive Board) unanimously agreed that an Australian team could not be assembled in the changing circumstances at home and abroad,” read the statement.

“The AOC believes our athletes now need to prioritise their own health and of those around them, and to be able to return to the families, in discussion with their national federations.”