Tehran, Iran, March 30, 2020: Iran's Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Masoud Soltanifar, said that the postponement of the Olympic Games in Japan this summer was predictable, reports the Tehran Times.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were postponed by the International Olympic Committee in a joint statement with the organising committee on March 24 due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. They will be held next year, not later than summer 2021, the statement said.
“We were mostly prepared for the games but the International Olympic Committee decided to postpone the competitions. Our athletes have secured 51 berths so far and were going to book more possible quota places but the games are postponed,” Soltanifar said.
“We will wait and see what happens with the sports federations and then draft a new qualification schedule. Iranian athletes and para athletes will continue their training to preserve their readiness,” he added.
The Olympic Games were due to be held from July 24 to August 9, 2020 and the Paralympics from August 25 to September 6. No new dates shave been confirmed for 2021.