Olympics Postponed For a Year

See new Tweets

Conversation

SportsCenter


@SportsCenter

Breaking: Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reached an agreement with IOC President Thomas Bach to postpone the Olympics for about a year.

Japan's prime minister says IOC president agrees to postpone Olympics

play

How will postponement affect the Olympic calendar? (1:22)

8:03 AM ET

• ESPN News Services
  

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says IOC President Thomas Bach has agreed "100%'' to his proposal of postponing the Tokyo Olympics for about one year until 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Bach had previously said the IOC would make an announcement about postponing the 2020 Olympics in the next four weeks.

"I proposed to Mr Bach to postpone the event for a year," Abe said. "He 100% agrees with me, and the latest by summer 2021, the Olympics will be held. Symbolize victory over the virus. We will like to fulfill our responsibility.

"We have to think about the current outbreak of the coronavirus. Holding the Olympics in 2020 is difficult. We talked about a one-year postponed, and we agreed on the holding of the event in 2021. We are looking to coordinate venues. IOC meeting will be held soon."

The Tokyo Games were scheduled to be held from July 24-Aug. 9.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Its a very big bad news for all athletics