Canada pulls out of Tokyo 2020 unless games postponed

Both the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee announced Sunday that they will not send teams to Tokyo 2020 if the games remain scheduled for this summer.

The International Olympic Committee came under heavy criticism Sunday for not canceling the games because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, instead setting a one-month deadline to decide on a potential postponement. The Olympics are still scheduled to begin July 24.

"The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year, and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring," the COC said in a statement. "While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community."

Canada is the first country to pull out of Tokyo 2020, though both USA Swimming and Track and Field have called for the games to be delayed, with the Norwegian Olympic Committee following suit. The Australia Olympic Committee told its athletes on Sunday to "prepare for a Tokyo Olympic Games in the northern summer of 2021."

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 14,000 lives globally as of Sunday night, representing approximately 4.3% of confirmed infections.