Has the Olympics been postponed this summer because of coronavirus outbreak?
ATHLETES from around the world have spent four long years preparing for this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.
The cream of the crop are gearing up for a showdown in Japan – but in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic bosses are being forced into difficult decisions.
Read our Coronavirus in Sport live blog for the latest news, updates and cancellations
Japan have been working hard to control the spread of the disease since their first recorded case on January 23.
When are the 2020 Olympics?
HELD every four years, the Olympics are heading back to Asia for the first time since Seoul in 1988.
Tokyo is the official host city of the Games, with new events including baseball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing.
The 2020 Olympics are set to get going with the opening ceremony on Friday, July 24.
From there, two weeks of intense competition follows until the final events on Sunday, August 9.
With the Olympics being held on the other side of the world, however, it will involve some late nights for viewers here.
For example, the women’s 10m air rifle shooting will see the first gold medal of the Games decided on July 25 – and its set to get going at 3.45am GMT.
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Will they be postponed because of coronavirus?
JAPAN’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has insisted this summer’s Olympic games will go ahead “as planned”.
But there has been widespread international pressure to suspend the competition – with Australia and Canada now declaring that they will not send teams.
And on March 23, veteran IOC member Dick Pound revealed that the Games are set to be postponed, likely until 2021.
He told USA Today: “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided.
“The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.
“It will come in stages. We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”
There is currently no official confirmation that the Games have been postponed, or any news on potential revised dates.
IOC President Thomas Bach has already ruled out cancelling the event altogether.