The International Olympic Committee announced Sunday that it is considering the possibility of postponing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and will make a final decision over the next four weeks.
The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees decided they did not want to wait.
In a dramatic move Sunday night, Team Canada said it would not send Olympic or Paralympic athletes to the Games if they are held as planned this summer, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The country’s Olympic and Paralympic Committees also urged the IOC and International Paralympic Committee to postpone their respective Games by one year.
While other national Olympic committees have released statements calling on the IOC to postpone, Canada is the first nation to threaten not to send a delegation if the Games go on as scheduled.
This means that Brooke Henderson won’t be competing when the women’s golf tournament in Tokyo begins July 30. At No. 7 in the Olympic rankings, she’s the highest-ranked Canadian golfer. On the men’s side, Adam Hadwin comes in at No. 25.
“This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health,” Team Canada said in its statement. “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.”
The Canadians’ statement came hours after IOC president Thomas Bach sent a letter to athletes, explaining that he did not believe it was time to call for a postponement but also indicating that the IOC is ramping up its scenario-planning. The Tokyo Games are scheduled to begin July 24.
