2020 Tokyo Olympics postponed until July 2021

By: Tatumn Vaught on April 15, 2020

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach came together to make the decision that the 2020 Olympic Games will be postponed until July 24, 2021. All other nations quickly agreed, and within 48 hours the ISO decided to postpone the games.

This was due to the global COVID-19 outbreak that has struck the world. Not only is this for the safety of the athletes and fans, but the gathering of people around the world is unethical during a pandemic. Almost every country has been affected by the disease, but those who have not should remain quarantined until the pandemic gets under control.

"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," the IOC statement exclaimed.

This was an important and big decision since it will create a huge financial impact on the games and countries themselves. Sponsors, advertisements and other expenses will up the cost of the games to around $25 billion, according to ESPN.

The only other time a cancelation or postponing of the Olympics has ever been done has been due to war. 1916, 1940, and 1944 were the only years the Olympics have been canceled (due to world wars), making this the first time in 76 years the games have been moved.

Despite the push of the date, the Olympics will still be called the 2020 Olympics, along with other traditional aspects remaining the same.