KARACHI: Veteran Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui has hailed official postponement of 2020 Tokyo Olympics for a year amid growing coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a timely decision and has settled confusion for participating athletes and officials,” he said in a statement moments after the International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach announced the decision on Tuesday.

The Games were slated to take place from July 24 to Aug 9.

Islah, who had represented the country in eight Olympics as a hockey player, official and commentator said the decision has saved the sanctity of the largest global sporting spectacle as Australia, New Zealand and couple of other nations have announced to stay away due to Covid 19 which has spread in over 190 countries.

He hoped things would improve by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in summer of 2021.It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan hockey team has failed to qualify for the Olympics for the second consecutive time.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2020