Tokyo 2020: IAAF, FINA, Others Supports New Date

Tokyo 2020: IAAF, FINA, Others Supports New Date, Triathlon Want Earlier Date

By Sampson Adedeji

The governing body of swimming (FINA) and International Athletics Federation ( IAAF) has welcomed the new Tokyo Olympic dates without giving any detail of how to reschedule its own world championships in next year.

Tokyo organizers say the opening ceremony will take place on July 23, 2021 - almost exactly one year after the games were due to start this year, BSN Reports.

The IOC and Japanese organizers last week postponed the Olympics until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

FINA’s biennial worlds were planned for July 16-August 1, 2021, in Fukuoka. That slot is now taken by the Tokyo Olympics.

The governing body of track quickly committed to pushing back its world championships to 2022. But FINA has the added complication of the 2022 Commonwealth Games because many top swimmers compete in both events.

The governing body of track and field says it supports the new dates for the Tokyo Olympics and is working with organizers in Eugene, Oregon, to move its world championships to 2022.

The 2021 track worlds were scheduled to be next year from Aug. 6-15.

World Athletics says it will consult with the organizers of the Commonwealth Games and the European Athletics Championships.

Those are other major track events scheduled to take place in 2022.

The Triathlon governing body of triathlon says it wanted the rescheduled Olympics to be held earlier in the year to avoid the summer heat but has accepted the new dates.

All sports federations involved in the Olympics signed off on the new dates.