Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has commended the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for postponing the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The minister said this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, John Joshua-Akanji on Tuesday in Abuja.
“The IOC must be commended for postponing the Olympics in the best interest of the whole world.
“This is in response to the general calls across the globe to have it moved to a time when the virus would have abated.
“As much as we were all looking up to the event, the safety and well being of the athletes, officials and fans alike are of paramount importance.
“We cannot afford to toy with the lives of millions of people around the world. At a time like this, this is the best way to go,” he said
Dare said the IOC cannot stand alone and it had taken the decision in the overall best interest of the safety of all Olympic family.
“This decision is an attestation of the fact that the IOC is sensitive and puts a premium on the safety of people.
” This will douse any fear or tension about going against the general consensus which clamoured for a shift in date.
“We believe that once the pandemic is over, the world can come together in unity to celebrate sports biggest fiesta,” he said.
Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abey and IOC President Thomas Bach on Tuesday, at a joint news conference, said the decision to move the games to a later date was in the best interest of the whole world until the situation returned to normal.
They resolved that the event would remain in Japan and retain the name Tokyo 2020.
The U.S., Canada and other Superpowers had called on the IOC to move the event following the spread of the Covid-19.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics was earlier scheduled to hon from July 24 to Aug. 9.
