IOC revises qualification systems
By Staff Reporter
THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) has finalised its revised qualification systems and new deadlines for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
According to a media release from the IOC, some of the major adaptations to new qualification systems include an extended deadline, which has been set for June 29, 2021, based on the Olympic Games scheduled for July 23 2021.
The revision also included a potential extension of sport-specific qualification periods where such extensions are expected to respect the qualification period deadline of June 29.
Close to this revision, sports such as rowing, swimming, badminton, skateboarding, taekwondo and wrestling had made minor adjustments to their qualification systems, the release says.
The release also states that if a qualification system specified age eligibility criteria, the criteria would then be extended to cover the new dates, allowing athletes who were eligible in July 2020 to remain eligible in 2021.
Moreover the IOC revisions note that archery, artistic swimming, baseball, basketball 3×3, boxing, canoe (slalom and sprint), diving, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics (artistic, rhythmic and trampoline), handball, karate, marathon swimming, modern pentathlon, rugby, sailing, shooting, sport climbing, surfing, table tennis, tennis, triathlon and water polo would continue with their qualification process as initially approved and would extend the qualification period to reflect the new games dates in 2021.
According to the statement, the IOC worked in close collaboration with all federations on the revised qualification system principles to determine if any revisions were necessary.
It notes that four rounds of approvals from the IOC executive board qualification task force were held with in order to implement qualification systems as close as possible to those approved by the IOC executive board in 2018.
Cycling (road and track), equestrian (dressage and jumping), hockey and softball have finished their qualification, and the quotas have already been allocated.
The release noted that team selection would be determined by the NOCs, as quotas were allocated to the National Olympic Committees in all sports.
Athletics, cycling (BMX freestyle, BMX Racing and Mountain Bike), weightlifting, basketball and judo have also made major adjustments to their qualification systems.