IOA, NSFs welcome new dates for Tokyo Olympics

The Games was earlier postponed from its original dates of July 24 to August 9, 2020 due to the global crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the IOC on Monday announced that it will now be held from July 23 to August 9, 2021.

"Indian Olympic Association along with the National Sports Federations welcome and support the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which will be held from 23 July to 8 August, 2021," IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta said in a statement.

The IOA said that it is in touch with representatives of National Sports Federations (NSF) and are yet to star working on new calendars and roadmaps for athletes going into the Tokyo Games.

The IOC said that all qualification events stands cancelled until fair participation and preparation time can be guaranteed to all athletes. It also said that those athletes or teams that have qualified already shall retain their qualifications.

Until March 24, the IOC was adamant that the Tokyo Olympics will go ahead as previously scheduled despite a growing global crisis because of the coronavirus pandemic. A postponement to a date in the year 2021 was announced after IOC president Thomas Bach's telephonic conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.