The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) continue to plan for a “very different type” of Olympic and Paralympic Games experience in Tokyo this summer.
The OFI released a statement on Friday night after hosts Japan and the International Olympic Committee earlier stood firm on their commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and denied a report of a possible cancellation.
From an Irish Olympic sailing point of view, the planning for the Tokyo Olympic Regatta this July therefore also continues.
Ireland's Annalise Murphy is the only Tokyo qualified sailor at this point. The Rio silver medalist gave an update on training in lockdown to the Irish Laser class agm late last year as Afloat reported here.
Despite four year campaigns under their belts, both the Irish men's Laser and 49er crews are rueing earlier missed chances to qualify in their respective classes.
As a result, two Irish Olympic dinghy berths in Tokyo hang on last-minute bids to secure berths at European qualifiers this Spring.
European Qualification for Irish Laser and 49er?
As Afloat previously reported, four nations are in contention for just one 49er place, including Ireland. In the Laser, two places are available with a 'bunch of five or six nations' including Ireland chasing them.
Adding more doubt to qualification, however, are questions now also being expressed about whether these last qualifiers can be held. The venues are scheduled for Palma, Mallorca for the 49ers and Hyeres, France for the Lasers at the same time as stronger lockdowns emerge in both countries.
As Afloat reported recently, the Irish Laser men were training in Malta this January. They plan to go on to Lanzarote in the Canaries at the end of the month for more competition, and then there’s a further diversion for a challenge on Croatia in the buildup to the final Olympic qualifier in Hyeres in April.
Historical results
World Sailing says the sport aims to complete its outstanding qualification events for Africa, Asia and Europe before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 but if that proves unworkable the world body also said it would allocate the remaining 15% of quota places using 'historical results' as Afloat previously reported here.
Statement from the Olympic Federation of Ireland
RECENT COMMENTS IN THE MEDIA ABOUT TOKYO
Friday 22 January 2021: The IOC and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has made a very strong and clear statement that they are fully committed to the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo this year.
Overnight media reports claimed incorrectly that a private decision had been made by the Government of Japan to cancel the Olympic Games.
The Japanese Government has stated categorically that this is not true.
The Olympic Federation of Ireland has also been very clear on this subject in recent weeks. We remain fully of the view, based on regular updates from the Tokyo organisers, that the Games will go ahead in July this year. We do feel that the Games will be very different, with stringent countermeasures in place to safeguard athletes.
Our focus remains on ensuring that our athletes are prepared and ready for this different type of games experience, accounting for the numerous Covid-19 countermeasures, along with vaccination programme.
Our intention is to circulate the most accurate and up to date news as it comes to us and to detail how that impacts the preparations of Team Ireland’s athletes and support staff. To this end we will be scheduling further briefings in our series of Tokyo Ready updates for the media in coming weeks.
In addition, the IOC will be holding a briefing for members of the media on 27 January.