Canada became the first Olympic nation to publicly declare their withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, if the event goes on in its original schedule without postponement. The declaration involves The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), and thus, both Olympics and Paralympic teams shall be included in the withdrawal.
“The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” the statement read.
The statement went on questioning not only athlete health, but also public health in the time of an actual pandemic, the likes of which haven’t been seen for a very long time. “This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health. With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”
The statement then applauds the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for multiple reasons, including the assurance that the games won’t be outright cancelled and the acknowledgement of safeguarding public health.
“The COC and CPC reviewed the letter and news release sent Sunday by the IOC. We are thankful to the IOC for its assurance that it will not be cancelling the Tokyo 2020 Games and appreciative that it understands the importance of accelerating its decision-making regarding a possible postponement.We also applaud the IOC for acknowledging that safeguarding the health and wellness of nations and containing the virus must be our paramount concern. We are in the midst of a global health crisis that is far more significant than sport.”
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