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The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan were postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic currently effecting numerous countries around the globe.

While they were supposed to take place beginning in July of this year, they have been officially postponed until the summer of 2021.

However, we’re now learning that if Coronavirus is still a global issue come next year, the games could be cancelled alltogether.

“The Olympics were canceled in the past for problems like war. We are fighting against an invisible enemy now,” Yoshiro Mori, the Tokyo 2020 president, said in a new interview (via People). “The Olympics would be much more valuable than any Olympics in the past if we could go ahead with them after winning this battle. We have to believe this otherwise our hard work and efforts will not be rewarded.”

He was then asked if Coronavirus was still a problem, would the games continue, and he said, “No. It will be canceled then.”

George Takei made headlines earlier today with the news that he was set to be the final torch bearer for the upcoming 2021 Olympic Games.

Turns out though that it was all an April Fool’s prank!

“This will be such a unique moment, before the eyes of a billion people, lighting the torch as a symbol of hope for the future in 2021 in Tokyo,” George wrote on Facebook earlier today. “As a life-long runner, I’m especially grateful to have been chosen, and hope to do everyone in the US of A proud!”

George later revealed that it was all a joke on his Instagram page.

“Yes, friends, I’m afraid this was an April Fools prank, a bit of levity in an otherwise dark time,” he shared, adding, “And while I’ll not be lighting that fire myself, my eyes will look upon it as a symbol of our triumph over this invisible foe and a reuniting of the global community.”

The 2020 Olympic Games, which were set for later this summer, have been rescheduled for 2021. See the new dates here!

The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan have officially been postponed until July 2021 and new dates have been revealed.

The new games will run from July 23, 2021 until August 8, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

“These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organization of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption…” the organizers said in a statement. “The new dates, exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020, also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes and the (international federations). Additionally, they will provide sufficient time to finish the qualification process. The same heat mitigation measures as planned for 2020 will be implemented.”

Find out the six other times the Olympics have been cancelled or postponed.

Earlier today, it was announced that the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan had been officially postponed for a full year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Summer games were originally set to kick off in July and hosted over 10,000 athletes to showcase their skills among multiple disciplines.

Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo shared that there would be a one year delay until 2021.

You can read his full statement on Just Jared now.

2020 doesn’t mark the first time the Olympics were postponed. There were several times before that they were delayed, and ultimately cancelled due to conflicts of war.

Click inside to see when and why the Olympics were cancelled or postponed in previous years…More Here! »

The 2020 Summer Olympics, which were originally scheduled to kick off on July 24 in Tokyo, Japan, have been officially postponed one year.

The announcement was made yesterday that the games would have to be postponed based on what is happening health-wise around the world.

Now, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo revealed he proposed a one year proposal to 2021, which was accepted.

“I proposed to postpone for about a year and (IOC) president [Thomas] Bach responded with 100% agreement,” the Prime Minister said.

Before this announcement was even made, two countries said they would not send athletes to the games if they were still held in 2020.

Veteran International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound has revealed that the 2020 Summer Olympics, planned to take place in July and August in Tokyo, Japan, have officially been postponed due to the worldwide illness the world is currently facing.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Dick told USA Today. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”

“It will come in stages,” he said about plans going forward. “We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.” It’s unclear if the games will be postponed until 2021.

Canada and Australia pulled out of the Olympics this week due to the ongoing worldwide illness.

Earlier this month, organizers said it would still go on.

Amid the dangerous health ramifications currently happening across the world, Canada and Australia have both pulled out of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) announced the news in a statement, saying, “This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health…it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”

The statement continued to urge the Olympics committee to postpone the games until 2021.

Australia followed suit, saying, “our athletes now need to prioritize their own health and of those around them, and to be able to return to the families.”

“It’s clear the Games can’t be held in July,” Ian Chesterman, Australian Team Chef de Mission for Tokyo, added. “Our athletes have been magnificent in their positive attitude to training and preparing, but the stress and uncertainty has been extremely challenging for them.”

The games are supposed to start on July 24 and wrap up on August 9.

Find out what the Olympics organizers had to say about whether or not a cancellation would be possible.