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Vladimir Salnikov – Photo Courtesy: Maria Dobysheva<\/p><\/div>\n

Russian Swimming Federation President\u00a0Vladimir Salnikov\u00a0<\/strong>has weighed in on the postponement decision, saying the decision was difficult but logical.<\/p>\n

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“Given that many athletes were held hostage by the situation and could not continue to train, of course, this caused great concern about the possibility of adequately performing at the Tokyo Olympics in the time frame that should have been.<\/p>\n
“The fact that the Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo can be considered positive. Now we expect everyone to mobilize to continue training.\u00a0Do not give up.\u00a0I hope that by the next year we will be able to prepare well.<\/p>\n
“There is a lot of work ahead to review the calendar of competitions for this and subsequent years. All international and national federations will be engaged in this task.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The Russian Federation was notably banned from international competition in December<\/a>, which feels like a lifetime ago. But with the decision being sent to an appeal, the Russians will still be allowed to compete under their flag for the time being.<\/p>\n
The World Anti-Doping Agency, which has been altering its practices in recent weeks<\/a> to accommodate new regulations around the coronavirus outbreak, also voiced its support for postponement.\u00a0 From WADA President Witold Banka<\/strong>:<\/p>\n
“The health and safety of the athletes remains the number-one priority for WADA and the anti-doping community, and it is clear that the correct decision has been taken in this challenging and unprecedented situation. As we all come to terms with the impact of this pandemic, it is clear that there are a number of challenges being faced related to the testing of athletes at this time. We will continue to monitor that situation to mitigate the effect of any interruptions to the program.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Athlete Voice<\/h2>\nOlympic 100m breaststroke champion Peaty released a statement<\/a> saying that while disappointed as an athlete, he fully supported the decision as “it is a matter of life and death”.<\/p>\n
Ledecky, who has a haul of six medals from two Olympics, posted on social media, saying:<\/p>\n
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As we stand together to meet today\u2019s challenges, we can dream about a wonderful Olympics in a beautiful country. Now is the time to support all those working to heal the sick and keep us all healthy. pic.twitter.com\/RsLuidzeYw<\/a><\/p>\n
— Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky) March 24, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n