2020 Olympic and Paralympics will be postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic after IOC president Thomas Bach today agreed to Japan’s unprecedented suggestion for a delay

Iran PressIran News: Crisis talks were held over the phone this morning between Bach and the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who formally sought what is the first ever postponement in the 124-year history of the competition.

The Olympics have previously only been cancelled completely during periods of World War - in 1916, 1940 and 1944 - but never suspended or postponed. 

According to Reuters, Abe confirmed that Bach had agreed “100%” to a proposal of postponing the Olympics "for about a year" amid increasing global pressure for a decision following statements over the past two days which had given the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee another four weeks to make a decision.

That position, however, soon proved untenable amid pressure from athletes, who said that their health would be endangered if they continued to train, and increasing numbers of countries who said that they would withdraw if the games were not postponed.

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