JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AND THE TOKYO 2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE

JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AND THE TOKYO 2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE

 

The president of the International Olympic Committee (Ioc) Thomas Bach and the Prime Minister оf Japan Abe Shinzo held a conference call this morning to discuss the constantly changing environment with regard to covid-19 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

They were joined by Mori Yoshiro the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee; the Olympic Minister Hashimoto Seiko; the Governor of Tokyo Koike Yuriko; the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission John Coates; IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper; and the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi.

 

President Bach and Prime Minister Abe expressed their shared concern about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and what it is doing to people’s lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes’ preparations for the Games.

 

In a very friendly and constructive meeting the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against COVID-19.

 

The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the COVID-19 pandemic is “accelerating”. There are more than 375 000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country and their number is growing by the hour.

 

In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo 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 leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Related News

Riga Crowns Champions: MALOV and KOBOSZ Rule U15; ISAKSSON and WU Strike Gold in U13

The JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Riga concluded today after five days of matches. The crowned champions in the Under 15 singles events are Alexander MALOV of Spain and Lucja...

Read more

Spain and Combined Germany-Denmark-Serbia Team Crowned Mixed Teams Champions in Riga

On the second day of play at the JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Riga, the Mixed Teams champions were crowned. Spain triumphed in the Under 13 category, while the combined...

Read more

ETTU President MOURA: ITTF Executive Board Meeting Reaffirms Unity and Progress

ETTU President Pedro MOURA, attending the ITTF Executive Board meeting in his role as President of the European Table Tennis Union, underlined the importance of unity and progress at a...

Read more

2025 JOOLA Europe Youth Series – Riga Open Kicks Off

The 2025 JOOLA EYS Riga Open officially began today at the Sport Hall of O. Kalpaks Riga Folk-Art Primary School, bringing together Europe’s most promising young talents in the U13...

Read more

Contact

About Us

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) is the governing body of the sport of table tennis in Europe, and is the only authority recognized for this purpose by the International Table Tennis Federation. The ETTU deals with all matters relating to table tennis at a European level, including the development and promotion of the sport in the territories controlled by its 58 member associations, and the organization of continental table tennis competitions, including the European Championships.

Powered By

All Competitions

Senior Competitions

Club Competitions

Youth Competitions

More Competitions