Tokyo 2020 Olympics to Be Postponed Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

The ongoing pandemic has forced many of this year's anticipated events to cancel, so you can understand why all eyes have been on Japan and the Tokyo Summer Olympics. For some time now, the International Olympics Committee has been going back and forth on whether the event should be held as usual this summer. But thanks to a brand-new report by USA Today, the site says it has learned from a veteran committee member that the Tokyo Olympic Games are being postponed.

"On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided," Dick Pound said in an interview with USA Today. "The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know."

According to the report, Pound says he believes the IOC will announce official plans for the event later on.

"It will come in stages," he said. "We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense."

For years, Pound has been on the IOC and described as one of its most influential members. His update comes a day after the IOC President Thomas Bach announced the group would take the next month to decide how best to approach the Tokyo Olympics. He ruled out the possibility of a cancellation, so a postponement to 2021 sounds doable despite its extraordinary task.

Currently, fans are left to wait for an official announcement from the IOC, but it seems the Tokyo Olympics are left with little choice. So far, both Canada and Australia have announced its athletes would not be allowed to compete in the event should the pandemic continue into July. With cases of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 cropping up globally, public health and safety must come first these days. And much like the NBA, the Summer Olympics will need to close down its courts to make way for a safer run next year with mascots like Son Goku and Sailor Moon cheering on all the teams!

What do you make of this latest report? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!