Olympics

After weeks of denying the Covid-19 pandemic would disrupt the Games scheduled for July, the International Olympic Committee finally announced they would reschedule to 2021.

Tongan Pita Taufatofua, who rose to fame with a shirtless entrance at the 2016 Olympic Games and competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in cross-country skiing, qualified in taekwondo this month.

He had one final chance to also qualify in kayaking in May, in a bid to become the first person this century to compete in three different Olympic sports.

Opposition to holding the Games in July has risen sharply in the past 48 hours, with several major stakeholders such as US Track and Field and UK Athletics, along with several national Olympic committees, calling for a delay because of the pandemic.

More than 13,000 people have died globally since the coronavirus outbreak began.

Forty years on, the upcoming Tokyo Games are the "cursed Olympics" once again, Japan's finance minister said, in remarks that could stir controversy at a time when his government is scrambling to quash speculation that the coronavirus epidemic could derail the world's biggest sporting event this year.

"It's a problem that's happened every 40 years - it's the cursed Olympics - and that's a fact," Taro Aso, who also serves as deputy prime minister, said in a parliamentary committee.

The men's eight and men's quad were scheduled to compete in the final Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland in May.

However that has been called off along with the third and final World Cup regatta at the same venue later that same week.

World Rowing says they'll make a statement on Olympic qualification later this week.

If the international body decides to fill up their Olympic spots on rankings then the two New Zealand crews are well placed to get places.

Haruyuki Takahashi, one of more than two dozen members of the Tokyo 2020 executive board, told Reuters the body had just started looking at scenarios for how the virus could affect the Games.

Takahashi has earlier told the Wall Street Journal that the board had not discussed the impact of the virus, having last met in December before the epidemic spread.

Leading international sports data company Gracenote has compiled its 2020 Olympics virtual medal table in which it breaks down a prediction of the outcome of every medal at the Games.

In it the organisation predicts New Zealand will match its overall medal haul from Rio in 2016 and finish up with 18 medals in total.

But, notably, Gracenote forecasts the New Zealand team to pick up nine gold medals, which would be one more than its finest ever haul of eight golds achieved at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

The International Olympic Committee has launched an inquiry into the finances and governance of AIBA, which has been in turmoil for years, and warned that it could miss out on Tokyo next year.

The IOC said that it was aiming to present the report to its executive board in May but AIBA said it had expected the investigation to be completed by now and that it was time to wrap up the inquiry and move forward.

The 29-year-old announced on Tuesday that he will return to cycling at the Revolution Series in Manchester next January as he continues his bid to become Great Britain's most successful Olympian. 

Kenny, who took time off after winning three golds at Rio 2016 and married fellow cyclist Laura Trott before the pair had a child, is level with the legendary Chris Hoy on six podium-topping finishes at the Games.

The short-sided format was added to the Olympic schedule last week, along with mixed relay races on the track and in the pool and BMX Freestyle.

Though happy with the move, it does not mean the Cleveland Cavaliers star will represent Team USA in Tokyo.

"I think it's great for basketball," James is quoted by ESPN. "For us to be able to add another category to the Olympics, another basketball category, I think it's pretty great.

"I'm not very good in a three-on-three thing, I'm more of a five-on-five guy.

Kevin Durant said playing for the United States in the Olympics was like "therapy" after signing with the Golden State Warriors last month. 

In a normal year, Durant would have nothing but months to be questioned about his decision with no basketball until camps open in late September.