The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued the new deadline for the qualification period which is June 29, 2021 after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were postponed for a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "The new qualification period deadline is 29 June 2021 and IFs can define their own qualification period deadlines should the deadline be prior to this date," the IOC said in a statement. The Olympics governing body has also extended the deadline for the "final sport entries" which has now been set for July 5, 2021.
The revision of the qualification systems will be finalised as quickly as possible to give certainty to the athletes. This principle encourages International Federations (IF) to follow a like-for-like approach by replacing those lost opportunities that were allocating quota with the same number of events.
"In line with the principle that athletes who have qualified for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 remain qualified, it is possible for IFs to extend the age eligibility criteria, if any, and allow athletes who are eligible in 2020 to remain eligible to compete at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 from July 23 to August 8, 2021," read the IOC statement.
On March 24, for the first time in the history of the mega global event, the Olympics were postponed by a year. The decision was confirmed by the IOC after the organising body for the event and Japan''s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to reschedule the Tokyo Olympics in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IOC had, however, said that the original name of Tokyo 2020 will remain intact irrespective of the fact that it will take place next year.
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be "celebrated" from July 23 to August 8 next year while the Paralympics Games will be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021.
The Tokyo Olympic Games were originally slated to be held from July 24 to August 9, while the Paralympic Games were scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 6.