The Tokyo Olympics will take place in 2021.
Organisers of the 2020 Games, due to begin on the 24th of July, have agreed to the postponement of the event by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has confirmed that he has asked for the Games to be moved to next year and the International Olympic Committee has agreed.
He says a full games will take place in Japan before the end of next year.
Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committeehttps://t.co/XNcaa4Gvx8
— Olympics (@Olympics) March 24, 2020
The Olympic Federation of Ireland has welcomed the decision to postpone the Games.
In a statement, it says it's the correct decision considering the current global crisis.
It says the focus for Team Ireland now will be on protecting and safeguarding the Irish athletes over the coming months, and ensuring that they can bounce back to full training, and be in peak condition for a successful Games in 2021.
CEO of The Olympic Federation of Ireland is Peter Sherrard:
“This is the right call given the times that we are in. Nonetheless we recognize it was a difficult call for Japan to make, and we are looking forward to working with the IOC and countries all over the world to make Tokyo 2021 a poignant moment for the whole world once these difficult times are over.”
