Hockey India to make schedule adjustments following postponement of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

As International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to postpone the Tokyo Olympics to next year due to coronavirus, Hockey India on Tuesday said that it will be working with both men's and women's team coaches in order to work out a suitable competition and training schedule.

"We have informed the chief coaches about the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Of course, there is a sense of disappointment but the Covid-19 situation is unprecedented and has impacted the entire world. We will, however, continue our pursuit along with the Indian Olympic Association, Ministry, Youth Affairs & Sports and Sports Authority of India to achieve success at the Olympic Games and our goals remain unchanged," Hockey India President Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad said in an official statement.

Both the Indian men's and women's teams are currently in national camp at the Sports Authority of India campus in Bengaluru. Hockey India will hold a meeting with the chief coaches of both teams, in order to map out a training and fixture schedule for the teams who were to take part in the Olympic Games in July-August this year.

"It is very disappointing that the Olympics will not go ahead in 2020, but given the unprecedented circumstances facing the world at present, it is totally understandable and expected. I feel sorry for all the athletes who have dedicated the last 4 years of their life for this, however postponement rather than cancellation will give most of them enough motivation to continue to push through this tough period," expressed Indian Men's Hockey Team Chief Coach Graham Reid.

Meanwhile, the Indian Women's Team Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne said, "I just had a meeting with the team and broke this news to the group. Though it is disappointing, the girls told me, 'It's ok, Coach. We will continue to work the way we are and this probably gives us more time to prepare for the Olympic Games and be our best.' Clearly, the girls' motivation is undeterred by this announcement and we will continue to look at the positives and work hard to be our best. I am sure once the situation around Covid-19 improves, we will sit down with Hockey India management to plan out a fresh calendar for the preparations leading up to the Olympics next year."

Earlier today, 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 International Olympic Committee (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 Tokyo Olympics will now take place next year.

The IOC has, however, said that the original name of Tokyo 2020 will remain intact irrespective of the fact that it will take place next year.

"In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community," the IOC said in an official statement.

The Tokyo Olympic Games were 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.