Covid-19 coronavirus: Northland paralympian Emma Foy says Olympic Games postponement is the right call

Northland para cyclist Emma Foy (left) and riding partner Hannah van Kampen will be two of many athletes who have to change their plans for 2020. Photo / Allan McKenzie - SWpix.com

Northland paralympian Emma Foy believes the decision to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games is the right call.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week said the International Olympic Committee had agreed to postpone the Games by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Canada and Australia had already withdrawn from competing, many countries closed their borders and were placed in lockdown, and pressure increased from the athlete communities to postpone the Games.

Abe held a conference call with IOC president Thomas Bach and organising committee president Yoshiro Mori on Wednesday and confirmed the Japanese government were preparing to postpone their second Olympic Games.

With many para athletes at risk should they catch Covid-19, Northland para cyclist Emma Foy (right) said the postponement of the Olympic Games was inevitable. Photo / Supplied

Foy, a two-time Paralympic Games medal-winning cyclist, said on Wednesday she was making new plans for the coming months at her flat in Cambridge.

"Now that the Paralympics have been postponed, we are going to have to rewrite the plan and there'll be lots of things to figure out," she said.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Foy had orginially planned to compete in New Zealand in April, before travelling to Belgium to compete in the para cycling road world championships in May.

The 30-year-old would have competed in four races at this year's Paralympics. However, since the effects of Covid 19 became clear, Foy said she had expected the postponement.

"I've been watching the whole progression of the virus quite closely. It was quite obvious that it was hugely disruptive to things around the world.

"I couldn't see how the Olympics and Paralympics could be held responsibly even though we are months away.

"You're bringing together athletes from every country and then sending them back to their counties so if they were to be held, it would be quite a irresponsible thing to do."

Foy said it was particularly important to postpone the Paralympics to protect the health of para athletes with low immunity or other health concerns.

Foy said it would be tough for some athletes to wait another year, but she was determined to continue her own work to make sure she kept up her high standard.

"A lot of athletes throw everything they have at the Olympics and now the idea of [delay] for some will be difficult."