Yahoo News Tokyo Olympics new 2021 dates confirmed after coronavirus postponement
The rearranged Olympic Games will begin on July 23 in Tokyo and finish on August 8 next year, organisers have announced.
In addition, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics will be moved to between August 24 to September 5 in a decision reached by the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, Tokyo 2020 organising committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The dates had been rumoured over the course of the weekend and the official joint decision was made following a telephone conference call earlier today.
Afterwards, IOC president Thomas Bach said: “I want to thank the international federations for their unanimous support and…the national Olympic committees for the great partnership and their support in the consultation process over the last few days.
“I would also like to thank the IOC athletes’ commission, with whom we have been in constant contact. Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel. These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel.”
Both sets of Games had been postponed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic from their original start dates this summer and have effectively been moved by exactly a year later in the calendar.
Meanwhile, IPC president Andrew Parsons added: “It is fantastic news that we could find new dates so quickly for the Tokyo 2020 Games. The new dates provide certainty for the athletes, reassurance for the stakeholders and something to look forward to for the whole world.
“When the Paralympic Games do take place in Tokyo next year, they will be an extra-special display of humanity uniting as one, a global celebration of human resilience and a sensational showcase of sport.”
World Athletics confirmed it would be moving its world championships in Eugene, in the United States, from its August date next year to an unconfirmed date in 2022.
It said in a statement: "We support the new 2021 dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games announced today by the Japanese organisers and the IOC. This gives our athletes the time they need to get back into training and competition. Everyone needs to be flexible and compromise and to that end we are now working with the organisers of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on new dates in 2022 for our World Athletics Championships."
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