The decision taken on March 24 by the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee for the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games was met positively by the athletes of Team Cyprus who have qualified for Tokyo.
With Cyprus under a state of lockdown since mid-March due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, the athletes were unable to train properly, since all sporting grounds were shut down and limitations on movement were put in place.
Along with the fact that no sporting events were taking place around the world, preparing for the Olympics was in reality impossible.
Team Cyprus’ athletes for Tokyo agreed with the postponement, noting that health comes first, and that the extra time for the ‘Road to Tokyo’ will give them the chance to prepare even better.
Giving his thoughts on the matter, 2012 Olympic silver medalist in Laser Sailing and IOC Athletes Committee candidate Pavlos Kontides said: “It was correct to postpone.
“The Games are a celebration of humanity and sports and it would not have been such an occasion. I am focusing on the positives”.
Rio 2016 Olympic discus finalist Apostolos Parellis added: “I agree with the decision, since this is best for our health. I believe all athletes, when they return to training, will reach the level they were at prior to the pandemic”.
2019 European All-Around bronze medallist in artistic gymnastics Marios Georgiou feels “it would not have been fair for all athletes if the Games went on as scheduled. I’m actually looking forward to the extra year”.
Skeet shooter Andri Eleftheriou, the 2019 European silver medallist said: “It affects us a lot as athletes, since we need to reschedule our year from scratch. But I agree, health comes first and we will all make it come in place at the end”.
Following the postponement of the Games, the Cyprus National Olympic Committee (NOC) now faces two packed years, in 2021 and 2022.
Besides the Olympics, 2021 will also feature the XIX Games of the Small States in Europe, hosted by Andorra between May 29 and June 5, an event in which Cyprus usually competes with the largest delegation of the nine countries, with approximately 150 athletes and a large number of coaches, officials, doctors and physios.
In 2022, the Cyprus NOC will travel to Oran, Algeria for the XIX Mediterranean Games (June 25 – July 5), which were postponed from 2021.
And a month later, the XXII Commonwealth Games will take place in Birmingham, England (July 27 – August 7).
