Mar 23, 2020 - Sports

Abe says Tokyo may have to postpone Olympic Games over coronavirus

Odaiba Seaside Park in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the Tokyo Olympics may have to be postponed if the Games cannot run in "complete form" because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Japan Times reports.

Why it matters: This is the first time Abe has made such a statement. The International Olympic Committee said in a statement Sunday it would "step up its scenario-planning" for the event and was in talks with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and Japanese authorities "to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement."

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Rebecca Falconer

Canada and Australia pull out of Tokyo Olympics over coronavirus

A Tokyo 2020 Olympics banner in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images

Pressure is building on organizers of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to call off the Games, after officials in Canada and Australia announced Sunday night they would not send athletes to this summer's event.

Why it matters: Canada and Australia are the first teams to announce they won't go to the Games because of COVID-19 risks. Both countries have called for the event to be held in the northern summer of 2021.

Go deeperUpdated Mar 23, 2020 - Sports

Ursula Perano

Olympic Committee publishes protest guidelines for 2020 Tokyo Games

Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/picture alliance via Getty Images

The International Olympic Committee issued a set of guidelines on Thursday to strengthen a rule that bars athletes from certain forms of political protest at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.

What they're saying... The Committee warns: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."

Go deeperJan 9, 2020 - Sports

Kendall Baker

Tokyo 2020 Olympics tickets are selling like crazy

The National Stadium in Tokyo during a media tour following its completion in December. Photo: Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images

After recent Olympics in Russia, South Korea and Brazil struggled with attendance, tickets to this summer's Tokyo Games, which open July 24, are selling like gangbusters.

Demand in the U.S.: Another batch of U.S.-market tickets were released yesterday after the previous batches in June, July and October all sold out within three hours. (Just checked online, almost every event is sold out).

Go deeperJan 17, 2020 - Sports