Canada, Australia Won’t Participate In Olympics Without Postponement

MARCH 23: The Australian National Committee has told its athletes to prepare for the Olympics to be postponed by a year, indicating in its announcement that an Australian Team can’t be assembled for 2020. Unlike Canada, Australia is one of eight teams that has already qualified for the basketball tournament at the Tokyo Olympics.

MARCH 22: The Canadian Olympic Committee will not send its athletes, including the basketball team, to the Tokyo Olympics unless the event is postponed, the CBC News tweets. The Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 24.

In a statement, the committee urges the International Olympic Committee and World Health Organization to postpone the Games for one year. The committee also pledges its full support to help the IOC navigate the complexities created by such a postponement.

Team Canada’s basketball team is coached by Raptors coach Nick Nurse and includes numerous NBA players. Canada isn’t yet guaranteed a spot in the Tokyo Olympics, but was scheduled to host and compete in a qualifying tournament this June.

The IOC has stated that “cancellation is not on the agenda,” but the organization suggests delaying the 2020 Games is on the table. However, its president Thomas Bach says that it’s too early to make a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Earlier this week, USA Track and Field called for the Summer Olympics to be postponed.

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