Olympics on brink in part because athletes – including boxers – can't train

Amateur boxing’s postponement of Olympic qualifying events during the last couple of weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic are just part of a growing move toward a postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The International Olympic Committee announced Sunday that it will consider postponement. In a letter to athletes, IOC President Thomas Bach said an outright cancellation has been ruled out. However, re-staging the Games at another date is possible.

According to the letter, the IOC has given itself four weeks to come up with a decision.

Last week, USA Boxing said it would review its selection procedure for the men’s and women’s teams. USA Boxing had already canceled all tournaments through March 31. It was not clear whether they would, or could, be re-scheduled.

Boxers, like athletes in every sport, are having trouble training. Gyms are closed, worldwide.

Until Sunday, the IOC had said the Tokyo Games would go on. Opening ceremonies are still scheduled for July 24, closing ceremonies for Aug. 9.

However, the IOC began to get mounting pressure to postpone late last week. USA Swimming on Friday asked for a postponement until next year. USA Track & Field asked for one on Saturday.

Some star athletes, including USA swimming gold medalist Katie Ledecky, haven’t been able to train. Pools, like gyms, are closed.

Olympic boxing has been on the decline, mostly because of repeated scandals since American Roy Jones Jr. was robbed of a gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Games. Still, Olympic boxing has continued to produce fighters who have gone on to make significant impacts in the professional ranks.

Ukrainian Vasiliy Lomachenko, No. 1 in Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound poll, is a two-time gold medalist, 2008 and 2012.

Shakur Stevenson, a 2016 silver medalist in Brazil, is an emerging star at featherweight. Jose Ramirez, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, holds two junior-welterweight titles. Deontay Wilder, who lost a heavyweight title to Tyson Fury on Feb. 22 in a rematch, won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. Claressa Shields is a two-time gold-medalist, 2012 and 2016.