Tokyo Olympics Rescheduled to 2021, First Time in History Olympic Games Postponed

Nick Kangadis | March 30, 2020
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Another week, another sporting event cancelled or postponed. This time the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been pushed until 2021, almost exactly a year after they were supposed to be held this year.

Organizers for the games announced on Monday that the postponed Olympics, to take place in Tokyo, Japan, will have its opening ceremony on July 23, 2021. The original date for this year's opening ceremony was scheduled for July 24th.

According to the Associated Press (AP):

There had been talk of switching the Olympics to spring, a move that would coincide with the blooming of Japan’s famous cherry blossoms. But it would also clash with European soccer and North American sports leagues.

[Tokyo organizing committee president Yoshiro] Mori said a spring Olympics was considered but holding the games later gives more space to complete the many qualifying events that have been postponed by the virus outbreak.

“We wanted to have more room for the athletes to qualify,” Mori said.

Despite there having been "several cancellations" during wartime, this is the first time in the history of the Olympics that they've been postponed.

The games will still be called "Tokyo 2020," even though they will now take place in 2021.

The Paralympics have also been rescheduled to 2021 and will take place from August 24 through September 5 of next year.

With pretty much all of professional and amateur sports being cancelled or postponed, eSports has taken the spotlight as still being able to play video games online from the comfort of your own home has allowed some to get their competition fix.

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