Tokyo 2020 Olympics postponed until 2021

Only coronavirus and war have been the reasons why the Olympics have had to be postponed or cancelled since the start of the modern Olympic games in 1896. In light of the contagion of COVID-19, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach have officailly agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympics until 2021 for the protection, health, and safety of the athletes, the organizers, and the international community at large. Despite the postponement, the summer Olympics will still be called the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, and the Olympic flame will also remain on display in Fukushima.

The Team Italy women's softball squad (ranked #10) earned a well-deserved berth to Tokyo after a 5-0 shutout over Great Britain (ranked #13) in the WBSC Women’s Softball Europe/Africa Qualification Final in Utrecht, the Netherlands on July 27, 2019. Led by Team Italy softball manager Enrico Obletter, the Azzurre squad was scheduled to kick off Olympic game competition against USA at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium on July 22, 2020. Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the Tokyo Games will be held in the summer of 2021 "at the latest". Forza #Italia!

by Roberto Angotti