By Agence France-Presse The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will have “no impact” on the Paris Games, which will go ahead as scheduled in “summer 2024,” the head of the organizing committee told AFP on Tuesday.

A woman wears a face mask amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus as she sits at a bus stop advertising the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics in Bangkok on March 20, 2020. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

The 2020 Games were delayed until “no later than summer 2021” by the IOC and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier on Tuesday, but Estanguet said the first postponement of an Olympics during peacetime would not affect the Paris edition, which will now be staged three years after the Tokyo event.

“The 2024 Games will be held in the summer of 2024. There is no impact on the date,” said the three-time Olympic canoeing champion.

The Olympics were due to be held from July 24-August 9 this year, but it was deemed too dangerous to hold it as planned due to the pandemic which has claimed the lives of almost 7,000 people worldwide.

“It was the best decision for the athletes, for all the players in the Games,” added Estanguet.

“I believe that the Games must stay in their place.

“We are really advancing on our own preparation plan. Each situation in the Games is different. We do not have the same infrastructure to build.

“We are advancing on our schedule independently of that of Tokyo.”

The Olympics became the highest-profile of a long list of sporting events hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, with football’s Euro 2020 also postponed until next year, while the majority of global international sport has been put on hold.

Tags: 2020 Tokyo Olympics , 2024 Paris Olympics , coronavirus , COVID-19 , International Olympic Committee , IOC , nCov , novel coronavirus , olympics , Shinzo Abe , Tokyo Olympics , Tony Estanguet