• Loading stock data...
Sunday, July 6, 2025

Tokyo Olympics Postponed Until Next Year in First-Ever Delay of Games

  • Games of the XXXII Olympiad to be postponed ‘beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021,’ IOC and Japanese Prime Minister Abe say.
  • Postponement is first-ever for an Olympics; Games were canceled at the start of WWI and also in 1940 and 1944 due to WWII.
Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a conference call this morning in which they announced the postponement of this summer’s Olympic Games, which were set to begin in Tokyo on July 24. 

The Games “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 IOC said in a statement.

The decision to hold the Games in the summer of 2021 will cause more upheaval to an already chaotic sports calendar but may create more stability for athletes and federations who said the coronavirus pandemic was ruining training schedules and creating unsafe conditions. 

Postponement began to seem inevitable after the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee released a statement Monday night urging the IOC to postpone after Canada, Australia and Norway announced that they wouldn’t send teams to the Games.

Read More: NBC Surpasses $1B In Ads Sold Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The USOPC said that in a poll of 1,780 Team USA athletes, 68% didn’t think the Games would be fairly contested if held as planned due to the challenges around training, qualifying, and other issues.

“Our most important conclusion from this broad athlete response is that even if the current significant health concerns could be alleviated by late summer, the enormous disruptions to the training environment, doping controls, and qualification process can’t be overcome in a satisfactory manner. To that end, it’s more clear than ever that the path toward postponement is the most promising, and we encourage the IOC to take all needed steps to ensure the Games can be conducted under safe and fair conditions for all competitors,” the statement read.

IOC leaders said a delay was the only way to ensure athlete safety and that the more than $10 billion that Japan has spent to prepare for the Olympics will not go to waste.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Michael Johnson

Grand Slam Track Still Owes Athletes $13 Million: Source

The new track league hasn’t paid athletes in full yet.

NHL to Rejoin Olympic Ice in Milan—and NBC Set to Cash In

NHL players last competed in the Olympics in 2014.
Faith Kipyegon

Nike’s Sub-4:00 Stunt Falls Short With Fastest Women’s Mile Ever

Male pacers and cutting-edge tech helped Kipyegon shave off one second.
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
Jun 13, 2018; Moscow, Russia; A general view of a beer stand inside of Luschniki Stadium one day prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Saudi Arabia Says No Alcohol at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol anywhere during the 2034 World Cup.
August 30, 2024

Premier League Transfer Spending Has Already Topped $2 Billion As Deadline Looms

Saudi Pro League teams haven’t yet matched their English counterparts.
January 13, 2025

Gavin Newsom Reveals Status of 2028 Olympics As Los Angeles Wildfires Roar

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Wildly Successful Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.
August 1, 2024

Saudi Arabia Submits Bold World Cup Bid That Includes a Cliffside Arena

The Saudis are proposing a new stadium in a futuristic city called Neom.
John John Florence (USA) surfs in men’s round two competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach.
July 29, 2024

Olympic Surfers Won’t Get Their Full Paris Moment

‘We’re kind of separate off on our own little thing over here.’