LAUSANNE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The first-ever meeting of all IOC members by teleconference was held on Thursday, with IOC president Thomas Bach outlining the steps and considerations which led to the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
In a letter inviting all IOC members to the call, Bach said: "With this worldwide coronavirus crisis, we are all living with much uncertainty. In light of this situation, the IOC had to take decisions quickly, responding to a constantly evolving environment. I hope I can count on your understanding that because of the fast-moving developments, we could not always give you all the background information on a timely basis."
All members who spoke expressed their full support for the postponement and the decision-making procedure leading up to it, adding that this had been a joint decision taken with the Japanese government in order to organise successful Olympic Games.
"Now we have another unprecedented challenge ahead of us - the organization of the postponed Olympic Games. This is a first ever in our long Olympic history. It will be a huge undertaking because, as you are well aware, the Olympic Games are the most complex peaceful event on this planet."
"This new situation will need all our solidarity, creativity, determination and flexibility."
"We all will need to make sacrifices and compromises. We have already created a task force which gave itself the symbolic name 'Here we go' and is already working in this true Olympic spirit," Bach added.
