Tokyo 2020 Olympics Announce New Date

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Announce New Date

Equestrian News :: Everything Horse

Tokyo 2020 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have today announced the new dates for what should have been the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.

The new dates for 2021 run almost parallel to when this year’s games were due to be held. The global sporting event will now to run from 23 July to 8 August 2021, when the closing ceremony will take place. The Paralympic Games will be held from 24 August until 5 September 2021. The decision was made following intensive consideration, and consultation with International Federations, including the FEI.

The FEI President, Ingmar De Vos, commented:

While it was of course demoralising for everyone that the Games had to be postponed from their original dates in 2020, the decision was absolutely right in the current terrible global pandemic, but it is really good to have the new dates agreed so soon.

Now, once the Covid-19 crisis is over, our athletes across both Games can get their training back on track with confidence, knowing exactly when they and their horse need to be at their peak.

The complex decision was made with the athletes’ health and well-being directed as the main priority. Selection, training, preparation and travel, among other aspects, were carefully considered when agreeing on the new date. The challenging climate that Tokyo presents was also a matter for consideration with athletes and in equestrian sports case their horses, needing to be in peak performance to take part in the games.

The new dates will lead to complications for scheduled European Championships, as far as equestrian sports is concerned. The five-discipline European Championships in Budapest (HUN), which also include Driving and Vaulting, are currently due to run from 23-30 August 2021, and the Eventing Championships in Haras du Pin (FRA) from 11-15 August. However, the FEI is already underway with plans to minimise the impact on the sport;

“Of course there will be an impact on the international Calendar across all sports, and from an FEI perspective this includes four major European Championships, but we are already looking at ways we can minimise that impact. The remit for our discipline-specific task forces that are evaluating the impact of Covid-19 on the 2020 Calendar has now been expanded to cover 2021 and now we have confirmed dates for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we need to explore possible alternatives for a number of major FEI Events, notably the European Championships in Jumping, Dressage and Para-Dressage, in Budapest, and the European Eventing Championships in Haras du Pin, France. This process will be started immediately.”

continued Ingmar De Vos.

Feature image for illustration only. Credit (FEI/Dirk Caremans)