OLYMPICS DELAY

seems inevitable.

The coronavirus may inevitably delay the Tokyo Olympics, but as the International Olympic Committee and organizers in Japan take as much as four weeks to make a final call, athletes, medical experts and others involved in the sporting world are pressing for a quicker end to the uncertainty.

For medical experts and governments throughout the world, a firm decision to postpone would allow them to focus on the more immediate worry — containing the pandemic — rather than the games themselves. For athletes, many of whom have pushed for a postponement, a decision now would lift the pressure off seeking ways to train in an era of social distancing.

USA Gymnastics joined the chorus Monday, saying it would call for a delay after national leaders in swimming and track and field did the same. The three sports typically combine to deliver the most medals for the United States each Summer Olympics.

Li Li Leung, chief executive of USA Gymnastics, said her federation’s decision was based on an anonymous survey of its athletes, in which nearly two-thirds of respondents said they favored delaying the games for at least three months.

“It was really important for us to make sure our athletes’ voices were heard in this,” Leung told reporters during a conference call, adding that the athletes wanted to compete fairly without posing a health risk to others.

The IOC and Tokyo, however, need their decision to come in a way that resolves billions of dollars in financial implications.

“The bottom line is if the IOC or Tokyo unilaterally decide to cancel or postpone without agreement, they would be in breach of contract and the potential financial repercussions are just enormous,” said John Mehrzad, a British sports lawyer who has represented national and international sports federations and athletes in litigation.

“As every day goes by and they don’t make a decision and other countries pull athletes out and the result of that means they can’t go ahead, then

both parties will be delighted because it wouldn’t be their fault,” Mehrzad said. “If people try to sue them, they can blame factors out of control for why it isn’t taking place.”

A firm decision may come soon enough. Dick Pound, an IOC member, said Monday that the games would clearly not start as scheduled.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound said in an interview with USA Today. “The parameters going forward have not

been determined, but the games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”

NBC Sports, which televises the games in the U.S. and is one of the IOC’s biggest partners, said in a statement that it supported the committee’s approach.

“We are prepared to stand behind any decision made by the IOC, the Japanese government, and the world health officials with whom they are working regarding the Tokyo Olympics,” NBC Sports said.