LOS ANGELES: US athletics’ governing body joined calls for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed on Saturday, urging United States Olympic chiefs to push for the games to be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), USA Track and Field chief Max Siegel said forging ahead with Olympic preparations “would not be in the best interest of our athletes.”

The USATF call for a postponement echoed a similar request by USA Swimming on Friday after the USOPC said it was too soon to postpone the July 24-August 9 Games.

The fast spreading virus, which reportedly emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, has infected more than 286,000 people and killed more than 11,800 in 180 countries across the world.

Siegel urged the USOPC to support a postponement, citing the health and safety of athletes as well as disruption to training and competition schedules caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

“Our athletes are under tremendous pressure stress and anxiety, and their mental health and wellness is among our highest priorities,” Siegel said.

“The right and responsible thing to do is to prioritise everyone’s health and safety and appropriately recognise the toll this difficult situation has, and continues to take, on our athletes and their Olympic Games preparations.

“For those reasons, USATF is respectfully requesting that the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) advocate to the IOC for the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.”

Siegel acknowledged that there “were no perfect answers” to what was a “very complex and difficult decision”.

“But this position at least provides our athletes with the comfort of knowing that they will have adequate time to properly prepare themselves physically, mentally and emotionally to be able to participate in a safe and successful Olympic Games, and that they can shift their focus toward taking care of themselves and their families,” he said.

“We urge the USOPC, as a leader within the Olympic movement, to use its voice and speak up for the athletes.”

FRENCH SWIMMING WANTS GAMES PUT OFF

Earlier on Saturday, France’s swimming federation joined its US counterpart in calling for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, adding to pressure on the IOC.

“The current context does not allow the 2020 Olympic Games to be organised properly,” the federation said after a video conference of its executive committee.

The federation called for the IOC to “study the possibility of a postponement”.

It said measures restricting the movement of people in many countries, including France, “mean that sporting fairness cannot be guaranteed in terms of preparation for this competition”.

The call followed that of USA Swimming which on Friday urged the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to back a postponement.

“We urge the USOPC, as a leader within the Olympic Movement, to use its voice and speak up for the athletes,” USA Swimming CEO Tim Hinchey said in a letter.

IOC president Thomas Bach insisted this week it was “premature” to consider postponing the Tokyo Games.

CALL FOR GAMES TO BE HELD IN 2021

The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) on Saturday called for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to be suspended because of the coronavirus and proposed they be held on the same dates in 2021.

Athletes are worried about keeping fit and being able to compete in qualifying events and other competitions ahead of the scheduled Games from July 24-Aug. 9.

“As an ex-judoka and coach in the sport, I learned that every athletes dream is to go to the Olympics in top form,” said COB president Paulo Wanderley.

“It’s clear that right now maintaining the games for this year will impede this dream from being fully realised.”

The COB stressed it still had full confidence in the IOC but said a move was the best solution.

“The IOC has gone through immense problems before, with the episodes that ended in the cancellation of the games in 1916, 1940 and 1994, because of the world wars, and the boycotts of Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984,” Wanderley said in a statement posted on the COB website.

“They knew how to overcome these obstacles and the Olympic flame is stronger than ever.”

The Norwegian Olympic Committee (NOC) said on Saturday they had asked the IOC)to postpone the 2020 Olympics until the coronavirus was under control.

In a letter sent to the IOC on Friday, the Norwegian sports body said it was “concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health situation both nationally and internationally.”

“Our clear recommendation is that the Olympic Games in Tokyo shall not take place before the COVID-19 situation is under firm control on a global scale,” the letter continued.

The NOC also pointed out that one of the measures undertaken in order to curb the spread of the virus in Norway was a ban on organised sports activities, which had created “a very challenging time for the sports movement in Norway”.

Speaking to AFP, communications advisor to the NOC Sofie Olsen said: “We want to emphasise that the IOC make a decision sooner than later so that everyone can have a fair chance of preparing.”

Meanwhile, Usain Bolt’s long time coach called for the Tokyo Olympics to be put off until 2021.

“My recommendation would be to postpone the Olympics until next year,” Jamaican sprint coach Glen Mills told Reuters in a telephone interview.

“This would be unprecedented, but we are in unprecedented time. Move everything up one year and then everything will eventually fall back in place.

“But I don’t think that the Olympics will take place at the time that is specified [July-August] because the outbreak is worldwide and in some countries, it is just starting to accelerate.

“I can’t see the Olympics going ahead; taking persons from all over the world and bringing them to one central point.”

APPEAL TO REVIEW OLYMPIC PLANS

Also on Saturday, the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA) and the World Players Association (WPA) said the IOC should review plans to go ahead with the Tokyo Olympics during the coronavirus pandemic and ensure dialogue with athletes.

The IOC and Tokyo organisers have maintained that the July 24-Aug 9 Games should go ahead as scheduled but WPA executive director Brendan Schwab said the IOC must consult more athletes before making decisions.

“With the world in a pandemic, holding mega-sporting events including the Olympic Games demands a deep review and broader consultations than are occurring now, including with athletes and their representatives,” Schwab said in a statement.

“The IOC needs to elevate its dialogue with the full range of those most affected beyond sponsors and governments to an open multi-stakeholder process that brings to the table as equals player associations as the representatives of athletes and others most at risk.” Thousands of Olympic hopefuls have been left in limbo with many qualifying events around the world postponed or cancelled.

Minky Worden, the director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch which is part of the SRA coalition of global non-governmental organisations, said sports bodies had to be more transparent at this time.

“The virus is impacting the health, human rights, employment and careers of athletes but also the well-being of millions whose livelihoods are dependent on the sports industry and its supply chain,” Worden said.

“Sports bodies have a responsibility to lower risks to athletes, insist on the free flow of information, and conduct themselves in an open and transparent way.”

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2020