IOC President Thomas Bach to Hold Teleconference with National Olympic Committees

According to multiple reports, including one by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach is scheduled to hold a teleconference on Tuesday with the leaders of all National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The teleconference will address the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect it has had on the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which are scheduled from July 24-August 9.

The coronavirus pandemic, which has impacted the world and forced the shutdown of nearly all sporting events around the globe, has thrown into question whether the Tokyo Games can be held. In recent days, the IOC has continually maintained that the Games will go on, with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe also towing that line. But with the coronavirus continuing to spread, the likelihood of the Olympics being held is shakier every day.

Even if the coronavirus ebbed, its impact on national trials around the world and across a variety of sports is a major concern that must be considered. In swimming alone, countless Olympic Trials have been postponed, with makeup dates uncertain. How and when they will be rescheduled is a major dilemma, particularly when it comes to creating a level playing field. Due to facility closures, curfews and other mandates from federal, state and local governments, not all athletes have equal training opportunities.

If the IOC did eventually opt for a postponement, how it would handle that scenario is uncertain. Would the Games be postponed to a later point in the 2020 calendar, or would the Games be moved to another year?

Extraordinary Events In Swimming History:

Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Italy, France, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Brazil and Japan have all had major meets affected by the coronavirus pandemic, while in the United States, the NCAA Championships have been cancelled and USA Swimming has imposed a 30-day suspension on all events, while Canada is considering what to do about its Olympic trials early next month. In Italy, where swimmers are struggling to maintain normal routines, can’t get to practice and in some cases find pool time, a #stopolympics campaign was launched by the Nuoto website calling on solidarity among swimming nations to recognise that Olympic preparations have been blown off course and that it would be in the interests of fairness to postpone the Games for a time of calm beyond the coronavirus crisis.

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