Global athletes group calls for postponement of Olympics

A worldwide group representing Olympic hopefuls is calling on IOC to postpone Tokyo Olympics until coronavirus pandemic is under control.

“As world unites to limit spre of Covid-19 virus, IOC ... must do same,” Global Athlete said in a news release Sunday.

This show of solidarity among Olympic hopefuls ds to dozens of individual athletes who have come out against IOC’s current stance, which is to start games as scheduled on July 24.

IOC is in consultation with World Health Organization and has stuck to position that it’s too early for drastic decisions.

“It’s bizarre IOC hasn’t shown any real leership,” said Carh O’Dovan, a Global Athlete founder from Ireland whose karate training has been put on hold due to restrictions in her country. “y’re acting as though it’s business as usual and it just seems very strange.”

O’Dovan said unevenness around globe regarding training, doping control and qualifying standards are among her key concerns — thoughts echoed by a number of athletes on social media and in interviews with Associated Press over past few days.

“Athletes want to be part of a solution to ensure Games are a success,” Global Athlete statement said. “But under current global restrictions that are limiting public garings as well as closing training facilities and borders, athletes do t have ability to appropriately prepare for se Games, and ir health and safety must come first.”

group also called on brocasters, specifically NBC, and sponsors “to opt same level of duty of care toward athletes by supporting IOC and (International Paralympic Committee) with flexibility and understanding during se uncharted times.”

statement came out a few hours after U.S. athletes took part in a conference call to share ir feelings about crisis and possibility of a postponed Olympics. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is distributing a survey to athletes, with hopes of sharing some of responses at an IOC meeting next week.

On Saturday, one of America’s best-kwn Olympians, hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones, told AP she was hoping IOC would respond with a postponement.

“If our job as Olympians and Olympic hopefuls is to inspire society and be healthy, we’re going in direct conflict with that by going out in public to find gyms and tracks and pools that are still open to train for Games,” Jones said. “Some people are doing that because IOC is telling us to stay rey, to keep training.”

It’s a thought being echoed by Global Athlete group.

“My dream is to go to Olympics this year but it’s an impossible task from my perspective and it’s same for a huge number of athletes,” O’Dovan said. “I’d be absolutely stunned if y go on in July, as planned.”

(imagre credit: AP)