Pressure is mounting on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cancel or at least postpone the Olympic Games, set for July this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. I feel for some of the athletes who have spent the last several years building up to this, and who are probably in the best shape of their lives right now. But with gyms and training facilities closed across the world, it's not looking like a very practical proposition right now, and many high-profile athletes have come out publicly to say that the feel that Japan and the IOC is putting profits ahead of the health of the athletes and the general public.
Interestingly, Canada, not usually a country to rock the boat, has become the first country to officially pull out of the games, publicly saying what many other countries are thinking. They are calling for at least a one year postponement. Australia has also told its own athletes to assume that it will be postponed until 2021, but they have not officially pulled out for this year (although I am not really sure what the difference is).
Way to go, Canada. It would be the first time the Games have been cancelled or postponed in peacetime, but, hey, there's a first time for everything, and that's not a reason not to do it.
UPDATE
Two days later, the IOC accepts the inevitable and postpones the 2020 Olympic ganes until 2021.
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