New dates for Tokyo Olympic Games announced

March 30: The new dates for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics have finally been decided and the quadrennial event will be held between July 23 to August 9 next year. The Tokyo Olympics will open on July 23, 2021, while the Paralympic Games will open on August 24 of the same year and conclude on September 5.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were due to open on July 24 and run for 16 days, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the first peace-time postponement of the Games. The IOC and Japan had for weeks insisted the show could go on but the rapid spread of Covid-19 prompted growing disquiet among athletes and sporting federations. So finally the games were postponed.

The IOC says the decision on the new dates was taken “to protect the health of the athletes and everyone involved, and to support the containment of the COVID-19 virus.” These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new dates, exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020 also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes and the IFs. Additionally, they will provide sufficient time to finish the qualification process. The same heat mitigation measures as planned for 2020 will be implemented.