Olympic qualifying across different sports and regions around the world continues to be suspended due to increasing concerns over coronavirus. The men’s soccer qualifiers were the first to be canceled by the Olympic committee in what is now a very long list of postponed or suspended events.

The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo games are scheduled to take place this summer on July 24; however, with qualifying rounds suspended for the near future, the Summer Olympics timetable is uncertain. While some athletes already have a guaranteed spot in the summer games, many others have yet to qualify. As of right now, only 43% of athletes have secured their spot in Tokyo this summer, leaving many athletes in a tough situation.

While these cancellations have posed challenges and questions for numerous Olympic hopefuls, they are not the only ones who have been affected greatly by these rulings. 

“The decision to postpone some of the Olympic trial rounds makes me nervous,” Caleb Tobias ՚22 said. “It kind of gives me the feeling that the summer Olympics either won’t happen on time or at all.”

While a decision still has not been made, the Olympic committee is definitely feeling the pressure from both the athletes and the fans as they announced earlier today that a decision will be made regarding the summer games within the next four weeks. In a letter from International Olympic Committee chairman Thomas Bach to the athletes, Bach said the committee has ruled out canceling the games altogether, but are not sure if they will take place as scheduled.

“I just hope that the Olympics end up happening at some point,” Spencer Levine ՚22 said. “Regardless of when I think that is, it’s important the Olympics happen because it’s something that brings the whole world together.”