Most US athletes want Games delayed

ALMOST THREE-QUARTERS of the 300 US athletes who took part in a virtual town hall with US Olympic officials support delaying the 2020 Tokyo Games, USA Today reported yesterday.

The poll followed calls to postpone the Olympics due to the global coronavirus pandemic by USA Swimming and USA Track & Field – the federations set to send the most American athletes to Japan in an expected delegation of more than 600 competitors.

In all, 70% of the athletes supported a postponement with another 23% saying it would depend on the consequences of such a move, according to details of the weekend poll given to the newspaper by a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Athletes Advisory Council who participated in the meeting.

When asked if they supported the Tokyo Olympics going ahead as scheduled from July 24-Aug 9, 41% replied they did not back that idea with 34% saying the matter was complicated and more information was needed.

The two-hour meeting also included athletes being asked when a decision should be made on what to do with the Tokyo Olympics, with a third saying the choice needed to come as soon as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has enough information.

Almost a quarter wanted a decision no later than April 15, while 18% wanted an immediate decision. Nathan Adrian, a five-time US Olympic relay swim champion, says he doesn’t want to compete under current conditions.

“I would have real moral objections, if the situation was the same as it was today, to competing,“Adrian told USA Today.

US hammer thrower Gwen Berry told the newspaper she worries over the IOC’s decision. “I feel the IOC is being really, really selfish in trying to push it,“she said. “And there’s no need to push it.”