Australia's Olympic Committee announced that they will not send athletes if the Olympics takes place in 2020
MELBOURNE - The coronavirus pandemic prompted Australia to withdraw its athletes from the 2020 Olympics on Monday while the nation’s top rugby league competition was called off and other domestic sports scrambled to stave off financial ruin.
“It’s clear the Games can’t be held in July,” Australia Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said on Monday, three days after telling reporters the team was committed to the schedule. After weeks of pressure, the IOC finally said postponement was in its “scenario planning”, with a decision expected in four weeks.
“We’ve had to make a call now because of the situation here in Australia and other parts of the world,” Carroll told reporters in Sydney on Monday.Australia’s Paralympic committee and sports federations backed the AOC’s stance. Swimming Australia said it was “devastating” for athletes but the correct decision.
“Our pandemic expert and our biosecurity expert said due to the rapid rate of infection that we can no longer guarantee the safety of our players to continue to play,” Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys told a media conference on Monday at its Sydney headquarters. RA’s announcement came after the Australian Football League, the nation’s richest and most popular sporting competition, was suspended before the first round of matches was completed on Sunday.
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