World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe has called for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed over the coronavirus pandemic as Canada pulled out of the Games and Japan’s Prime Minister admitted a delay could be “inevitable”.

Australia has also told its athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

It appears that Coe has changed his mind about whether the 2020 Olympics can go ahead in Tokyo from 24 July to August 9.

Coe, himself a double Olympic 1500m champion and Britain’s most senior Olympic figure, was appointed unopposed last year as president of the international governing body for athletics, to serve a second four-year term.

Less than a week after warning against cancelling the Games prematurely, Coe wrote a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach. This was sent in time for Sunday’s IOC meeting, asking for the games to be moved.

“Whilst we all know that different parts of the world are at different stages of the virus, the unanimous view across all our areas is that an Olympic Games in July this year is neither feasible nor desirable,” Coe said in his letter.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament on Monday that the country was still committed to a “complete” Games, but conceded “it may become inevitable that we make a decision to postpone”.

It was the second major concession in a matter of hours after the IOC said “the scenario of postponement” was one of the options under consideration, with a final decision due within four weeks.

“Human lives take precedence over everything, including the staging of the Games,” IOC chief Bach wrote in an open letter to athletes after emergency talks.

“Cancellation would not solve any problem and would help nobody,” Bach added. “Therefore it is not on our agenda.”

Putting back the event, as is looking inevitable, would be a massive blow for Japan which has pumped in more than $12 billion of investment.

But athletes and sports bodies have become increasingly vocal after restrictions imposed because of Covid-19 wrecked competition schedules and often made training impossible — and risky. Canada highlighted the dangers to the broader community as they became the first team to withdraw from the Olympics and Paralympics, urging a year’s postponement.

“This is not solely about athlete health — it is about public health,” the Canadian Olympic Committee said. “With Covid-19 and the associated risks, 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.”

World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe

In his letter to Bach, Coe voiced concerns over the issue of competition fairness, with many athletes struggling to train properly, and potential injuries if they have to push themselves harder nearer the games.

Coe listed three main reasons for delaying the 2020 Games. On competition fairness, he said: “Every one of my area presidents believes that we can no longer expect a fair and level playing field in our sport given the number of athletes who are struggling to train in various countries due to measures put in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus.”

On risk of injury, he commented: “If athletes are unable to train properly now we both know, as we have both been there, they will push themselves even harder closer to an Olympic Games, which will increase the propensity for injury.”

And Coe has this to say about the emotional well-being of athletes: “The uncertainty of the Olympic Games happening in July and the inherent desire and motivation to excel that resides in all our athletes is causing real anguish that we can, collectively, put a stop to.”

IOC member Dick Pound has also asked the Olympics to be postponed. “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound told USA Today.

“The parametres going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on 24 July, that much I know.”

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson has urged the IOC to make a “definitive decision” on postponing the 2020 Olympics.

The British Prime Minister’s spokesperson said: “We want the International Olympic Committee to make a definitive decision soon to bring clarity to all of those involved. The (UK) sports minister Nigel Huddleston set out yesterday that the IOC should be seriously considering postponing the games.”

The Olympics have never before been delayed, though they were cancelled altogether in 1916, 1940 and 1944 during the World Wars and major Cold War boycotts disrupted the Moscow and Los Angeles Games in 1980 and 1984, respectively.

India’s stand

The Indian Olympic Association on Monday said it will “wait and watch” for at least a month before taking any call on Olympics participation.

“Being the head of IOA, the health and well being of our athletes and officials are of prime concern to me,” IOA president Narinder Batra said.

“Whatever decisions the IOA takes will be for the welfare of our athletes. But right now we are just waiting and monitoring the situation on a daily basis. I assure the people that we won’t let anyone down and our decisions will be in the best interest of our athletes.”