Tokyo Olympics to begin on July 23rd of 2021 following Covid-19 postponement

The Olympic Council have confirmed the new dates for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics after this summer’s games were postponed due to the spread of coronavirus.

The games, which will still go under the banner of the 2020 Olympiad, will take place between July 23^rd and August 8^th of 2021.

The Paralympic Games, which had been due to start on August 25^th of this year, will now begin on August 24^th, 2021 and finish on September 5^th.

The move follows that of UEFA, who opted to postpone the 2020 European Championships by a year earlier this month.

"I am confident that, working together with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese Government and all our stakeholders, we can master this unprecedented challenge,” said IOC president Thomas Bach.

"Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel. These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel."

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons added: "When the Paralympic Games do take place in Tokyo next year, they will be an extra-special display of humanity uniting as one, a global celebration of human resilience and a sensational showcase of sport.

"With the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 512 days away, the priority for all those involved in the Paralympic movement must be to focus on staying safe with their friends and family during this unprecedented and difficult time."