USA Gymnastics calls for postponed Olympics due to Coronavirus
USA Gymnastics became the latest organization to call for a postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Monday, tweeting the recommendation after a survey of its athletes.
62% of the athletes surveyed by USA Gymnastics reportedly favored a postponement of the Olympics.
“After considering the responses from athletes who participated in our survey & the 62% who were in favor of delaying the Games, we are adding our voice to the chorus advocating for postponement,” USA Gymnastics tweeted on Monday. “We are grateful to have our athletes’ insight and input to guide this decision.”
USA Gymnastics is the latest American organization to call for a postponement of the 2020 games. Both USA Swimming and USA Track and Field have advocated for the 2020 games to be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Senior International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said the 2020 games will be postponed on Monday.
“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound told 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.”
USA Gymnastics took home four golds in the 2016 Rio Olympics, including a gold medal for the all-around team event. Simone Biles captured three individual golds in her first-ever Olympic games.