Over three-quarters of track and field athletes surveyed by the Athletics Association want the Tokyo Olympic Games postponed because their training has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Twice Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor, who is also the founder of the Athletics Association, said 78% of athletes want the July 24-Aug. 9 Games to be pushed back, while 22% believe it should be cancelled altogether.
“The Olympics have to be put back by a minimum of a year,” Taylor wrote in a column for The Times on Tuesday.
“The IOC says it will wait for four weeks but that just increases uncertainty and means we stay stuck in limbo.”
More than 4,000 athletes participated in the survey, with 87% saying their preparations for the Games had been adversely by due to the pandemic.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government announced a month-long consultation over other “scenarios” but sources told Reuters a final decision will be taken in the coming days.
The virus has now infected more than 377,000 people across 194 countries, according to a Reuters tally, and over 16,500 people have died.
Taylor, who won gold at the London 2012 Games and Rio 2016 Games, is one of many athletes unable to train due to government protocols on social distancing and facilities being closed.
“I’m not jumping at all. There is no sandpit for me, I have not put on jump spikes for two weeks,” said Taylor.
Latest Stories
- Black Stars: 5 things we learned from the two games against Angola
2 mins - Tems, Wizkid win at iHeart Radio Awards
19 mins - Speaker Alban Bagbin installed new sub-Chief of Awudome
20 mins - Employment Ministry cautions public against recruitment scam
25 mins - Angélique Kidjo says the Grammys ‘need diversity’
33 mins - Billionaire’s son admits role in death to BBC
37 mins - Livestream: Kamala Harris addresses Ghanaians from Black Star Square
47 mins - VGMA 2023: Kwabena Kwabena didn’t file for nominations – Manager
58 mins - US partnership with Africa is for mutual benefits – Kamala Harris
59 mins - ‘Why approve the man who caused me such pain?’ Sam George questions Minority MP colleagues
1 hour - Ecozoil educates Azizanya community on importance of life jackets
1 hour - Creed III actor Jonathan Majors charged with assault and harassment
1 hour - Cape Coast residents upbeat about Kamala Harris’ visit
2 hours - ICGC commended for sustained effort in bringing mental health issues to spotlight
2 hours - Sights and sounds: Akufo-Addo hosts Kamala Harris at banquet
2 hours