Athletics great Samuel Matete has backed the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was announced on Tuesday that the Olympic Games have been delayed until next year because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Matete, who represented Zambia at Olympic Games in 1988, 1992 and 1996, said the decision to delay the games was right.
“This is a step in the right direction. We can’t put the athletes at a high risk because of the virus,” the Atlanta 1996 silver medalist said from his base in Kitwe.
The Tokyo Olympics in Japan were scheduled to begin on 24 July.
“When the virus was first reported all of us were skeptical but it seem the virus is not going anywhere. We are not too far from the scheduled opening day of July 24,” Matete said.
He is now asking athletes who qualified for Tokyo 2020 not to be dejected by the delay.
“Athletes should stay calm, rest and prepare for the games next year. I think it is very important for the athletes to know that there are certain things that they will have no control over but it is in their best interest to make sure that they live to see other games in future.”
“Off course it is very difficult for athletes because they have been preparing for the games, they have put in so much effort in training and only for the games to be postponed,” Matete added.
In some sports disciplines like men’s football, some players who were supposed to be in Tokyo will be overage by 2021 –making them ineligible for the games.
We don’t expect anything less from this true patriot. To the contrary we have unpatriotic chaps in opposition who think this virus is something to politicise. Sad
Who is this KAIZAR ZULU who always opens his mouth carelessly.
This ain’t news. How can it be? Matter or anyone else had no choice in any case
Matete against postponement of Olympic games, and the world supports him.
But truly some news of LT as if they all work at PF secretariat.