Climbing Might Have to Wait for its Olympic Debut
The Olympics might be postponed to a later date due to the coronavirus outbreak
For over a decade, climbers have been anticipating their sport finally being showcased at the Olympics, but they might have to wait a little longer than expected. B.C. climbers Sean McColl and Alannah Yip are the climbers who will be representing Canada.
Japan’s Olympic minister has said the Tokyo 2020 Games could be postponed from the summer until later in the year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Seiko Hashimoto said Tokyo’s contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “calls for the Games to be held within 2020.”
She said that it “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement.” The Games are scheduled to be held from July 24 to Aug. 9. “We are doing all we can to ensure that the Games go ahead as planned,” Hashimoto said.
Under the hosting agreement, the right to cancel remains with the IOC. The IOC president Thomas Bach said his organization remains “very confident with regard to the success” of the Games in Tokyo.
“I would like to encourage all the athletes to continue their preparations with great confidence and full steam,” he said. Other big sporting events have already been cancelled or postponed as a result of the coronavirus.
The IOC executive board met in Lausanne, Switzerland on Tuesday and said a “joint task force” was started in mid-February, involving the IOC, Tokyo 2020 organizers, the host city of Tokyo, the government of Japan and the World Health Organization.
The executive board added that it “appreciates and supports the measures being taken, which constitute an important part of Tokyo’s plans to host safe and secure Games.”
Bach said, “We will continue to support the athletes and their NOCs with regular updates of information, which we will provide.”
As of March 3, 2020, the following climbers have clinched a spot at the Olympics this summer. This is a developing story.
| Standard | Places | Men’s | Women’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host place | 1 |  Kai Harada (JPN) |
Miho Nonaka (JPN) |
| World Championship | 7 | Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) Jakob Schubert (AUT) Rishat Khaibullin (KAZ) Mickaël Mawem (FRA) Alex Megos (GER) Ludovico Fossali (ITA) Sean McColl (CAN) |
 Janja Garnbret (SLO) Akiyo Noguchi (JPN) Shauna Coxsey (GBR) Aleksandra Mirosław (POL) Petra Klingler (SUI) Brooke Raboutou (USA) Jessica Pilz (AUT) |
| Olympic Qualifying Event | 6 |  Adam Ondra (CZE) Bassa Mawem (FRA) Jan Hojer (GER) Pan Yufei (CHN) Alberto Ginés López (ESP) Nathaniel Coleman (USA) |
Julia Chanourdie (FRA) Mia Krampl (SLO) Iuliia Kaplina (RUS) Kyra Condie (USA) Laura Rogora (ITA) Song Yiling (CHN) |
| Pan American Championships | 1 | Colin Duffy (USA) |
Alannah Yip (CAN) |
| African Championships | 1 | ||
| European Championships | 1 | ||
| Oceania Championships | 1 | ||
| Asian Championships | 1 | ||
| Tripartite Commission | 1 | ||
| Total | 20 |
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