India issues first response as Canada, Australia threaten walkout over Tokyo Olympics 2020

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) General Secretary Rajeev Mehta has stated that he will be speaking to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju regarding India's participation in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Mehta's comments come at the back of Canada and Australia announcing that they will not be sending their athletes to compete this year. 

READ: Canada Issues Ultimatum To IOC; 'delay Tokyo Olympics 2020 Or We Won't Participate'

IOC monitoring situation

News agency ANI quoted Mehta as saying, "Indian Olympics Association (IOA) is aware that Canada has denied to send athletes if Olympics are not postponed. Australia has also raised questions. As of now, we have not decided anything. Indian Olympic Association is monitoring the situation very seriously & we are in touch with the govt. Today, I will talk to Union Sports Minister & Union Sports Secretary."

READ: Tokyo Olympics Postponement Inevitable? After Canada Pulls Out, Australia Makes Big Move

In dramatic developments on Sunday evening, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) decided to not send its athletes to this year's Tokyo Olympics. Soon after the announcement, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced that it has asked its athletes to prepare for the Olympics in 2021.

The Olympics is scheduled to take place between July 24 and August 9, 2020.

The COC and AOC statements were released hours after IOC stated that cancellation is 'not on the agenda' but will be assessing all options in the next four weeks. In the statement released, COC acknowledged the IOC letter "We also applaud the IOC for acknowledging that safeguarding the health and wellness of nations and containing the virus must be our paramount concern. We are in the midst of a global health crisis that is far more significant than sport."

READ: Japan PM Abe Says Postponing Olympics May Be Unavoidable

The demands for a cancellation or a years' postponement come due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed more than 14,600 lives.

READ: Cancellation Of Olympic Games 'not On Agenda', Postponement Possible - IOC