Cycling Ireland supports decision to postpone Olympic Games
Cycling Ireland supports the decision taken to postpone the Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games to 2021, a move that protects athletes and their families during the Covid-19 pandemic. With clarity on the new date of the Olympic Games, Cycling Ireland’s team of riders and staff will be fully prepared and will represent Ireland with pride at the 2021 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
Olympic Federation of Ireland Statement
The Olympic Federation of Ireland welcomes the decision to postpone the Summer Olympic Games to 2021, considering the current global crisis. Given the fast developments around the world with the Covid-19 pandemic makes this the correct decision under difficult circumstances.
The focus for Team Ireland now will be on protecting and safeguarding the Irish athletes over the coming months and ensuring that they can bounce back to full training and be in peak condition for a successful Games in 2021.
The Olympic Federation of Ireland CEO, Peter Sherrard welcomed the call, acknowledging the complexities involved in postponing the Games saying,
“This is the right call given the times that we are in. Nonetheless we recognize it was a difficult call for Japan to make, and we are looking forward to working with the IOC and countries all over the world to make Tokyo 2021 a poignant moment for the whole world once these difficult times are over.”
Tokyo Chef de Mission Tricia Heberle added,
“This decision, while totally appropriate, will impact on sport and our athletes in different ways, there will be mixed emotions. Our focus is to continue to engage with and support our sports as we gather as much information to determine how this will impact on both athletes who have already qualified and those who are on the path to qualification.”
For the full IOC statement CLICK
HERE
Paralympics Ireland welcomes the decision of the Japanese Prime Minister, Abe Shinzo and the International Olympic Committee with the full support of the International Paralympic Committee to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games to 2021. The Paralympic Games will now take place at a date beyond 2020 but no later than the Summer of 2021.
Postponing the Paralympic Games is a decision that was not taken lightly and was done in the best interests of the athletes, their support teams and the millions of spectators that were due to attend the games.
Paralympics Ireland supports IPC’s decision and the clarity it gives athletes and organisers regarding the future of the games. We will now implement our contingency plans to ensure that Irish Paralympic athletes will be supported through this process, mitigate the effects of the cancellation and to put in place new programmes to help athletes realign their training and competition schedules.
Paralympics
Ireland CEO, Miriam Malone said ‘This was an unprecedented situation for the
organisers of the Tokyo 2020
Paralympic and Olympic Games to face and postponement is the only safe option
to protect athletes and supporters alike. Our guiding principle has always been
the protection of our Irish athletes, their health and their safety and I
believe that this decision safeguards our athletes in line with this principle.
We are already rolling out our contingency plans for athletes and we will do
everything in our power to ensure that our Irish athletes will be able to adapt
as seamlessly as possible to the new arrangements when they are confirmed.’