Chris Crisologo: Focused on success
Currently in his third year with Golf Canada’s National Team Program, Chris Crisologo is considered one of Canada’s top golfing prospects. The Richmond, B.C. native spent the first two years on the Amateur Squad, and presently, he’s in his first season with the Young Pro Squad.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, Crisogolo is trying to make the most of his time indoors.
“I’ve been able to read more books to pass the time. One specific book was given to me by my coach, Derek Ingram, called ‘Pound the Stone’ written by Joshua Medcalf. I’ve really enjoyed taking a few notes, and working on the mental side of both sport and life,” said the Simon Fraser University grad.
“On the physical side, I’ve done a lot of body weight exercises, as well as, some band work specific for golf mobility. I’ve also worked on tempo and rhythm, as well as path, with the putter,” Crisologo continued.
“I’m trying to make the most of this time to strengthen myself and make improvements for when the season starts up again,” he added with optimism.
As the 24-year-old reflects on his journey, he’s thankful to his dad, Lorenzo Crisologo, for introducing him to the sport.
“My dad and I were playing tennis, and there was a golf club close by so he decided to take me to the course,” recalled Crisologo about his humble beginnings.
“I was five or six at the time and when I hit the ball that first time I got hooked. I hit a three wood and saw the ball take flight and thought ‘this is unreal’ and knew this is what I want to do over and over again.”
Besides his interest in golf, young Chris was an all around athlete and had interest in a number of other sports.
“I played a whole lot of basketball growing up, and did volleyball, and track and field also. I spent a lot of time on the tennis courts, and so, of course, I played a bit of tennis – but not competitively,” he said.
During his summers, Crisologo would spend all day on the golf course as his parents would drop him off in the morning.
“I played from 7 am to 7 pm until they picked my up. Looking back, I guess spending all those hours on the golf course got me to where I am today,” he noted.
Crisologo says it wasn’t until the 10th grade that he decided to take golf more seriously.
“I had played in golf tournaments since I was eight, but I never really thought that it would be something that I would be focusing on until grade 10,” he pointed out.
“That’s when I started to take it more seriously, and started to focus more on how to play the game the right way.”
Since his childhood years, Crisologo knew he wanted to be involved in sports but it took him time to figure out which sport he had the most passion for – and the best chance to find success.
“Unlike basketball or track and field, golf is one of those sports where you don’t have to be the biggest, the strongest or the fastest,” said Crisologo, who is listed at five foot nine but is known for his ball striking and distance on the golf course.
After completing high school, Crisologo attended Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. Its interesting to note that SFU is the only Canadian university affiliated with and competing in the U.S.-based National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II.
In addition to winning numerous NCAA tournaments during his time at SFU, Crisologo caught the attention of many golf fans when he finished fourth in the Canadian Amateur in 2016.
From there, other notable accomplishments include qualifying for the U.S. Amateur in 2017, and winning the B.C. Amateur in 2018.
But perhaps his most impressive accomplishment as an amateur came at the RBC Canadian Open in 2018. Crisologo finished in a tie for 45th spot at Glen Abbey, and was the low Canadian amateur – taking home the Gary Cowan medal.
Crisologo recalls heading into the tournament with a lot of confidence.
“The weeks leading up to it I was playing some great golf. I won the B.C. Amateur right before the RBC Canadian Open and that gave me some momentum heading in,” he said.
“It was just amazing to feed off the energy from the crowd at Glen Abbey. It’s definitely something that I will always remember,”added Crisologo about his experience at the 2018 RBC Canadian Open.
Currently, in his third year with the National Team Program, Crisologo says he’s well supported and believes his career as a professional golfer is on the right trajectory.
“We are supported through great coaching. We have a mental coach and physio coach. Having this support and the resources provided through the program allows us to really focus on success. I’m really grateful to be part of the program because it’d be pretty difficult to figure it all out on our own,” said Crisologo.
Derek Ingram, head coach of the men’s National Team Program, is quick to point out Crisologo’s strengths which has contributed to his success on the golf course.
“Chris is very explosive off the tee. He’s not a big guy but he is surprisingly long off the tee and also very accurate. Chris is smart and patient and has really improved his iron game over the past few years,” said Ingram.
Having turned professional in August of 2019, Crisologo has his sights set on competing on the PGA Tour full time within the next five years.
Ingram believes Crisologo is on track to reach his goal. He candidly points out some of the areas that the first year Young Pro Squad member will need to address in order to take his game to the next level.
“Chris has to get more consistent. He has to putt better on a day to day basis and eliminate mistakes off the tee – such as penalties,” said Ingram.
“And of course, he has to get used to the daily grind of being a professional and the travel that goes with it. The ladder comes from experience.”
Ingram points out that having role models to look up to will be a big asset for Crisologo in his quest to play the sport at the highest level.
“It really is great for players like Chris – and others on our Young Pro Squad and Amateur Team – to have guys on the PGA Tour to look up to. Players like Mac (Hughes) and Corey (Conners), as well as others, like Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin have been great to the players coming behind them,” said Ingram.
“They’ve taken the time to share experiences and information. They’ve been excellent role models and become friends with the current players on the program.”
The talented 24-year-old golfer agrees with his coach and is appreciative of the guidance from those who have gone through the National Team Program – and have left a trail for success.
“Seeing all the guys who have been on the program before us and seeing their success on the PGA Tour is great,” Crisologo acknowledged.
“From a mental standpoint, it just gives me motivation and inspiration to work harder and focus on making improvements each day, so I can have that same success in the future.”
Video: Canadian golfers send thank you message to frontline workers
Canadian professional golfers came together to send a video message expressing their gratitude to frontline workers for their courage and sacrifice.
Scott Pritchard tabbed to lead Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida—Two of the PGA TOUR’s International Tours announced executive restructuring April 24, with Canadian Scott Pritchard elevated to the head of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, while previous Mackenzie Tour head Todd Rhinehart, who has been leading both the Mackenzie Tour and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, will put all his focus and efforts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
“During the last year, we have gone through a transition phase on both Tours due to the retirements of two experienced and long-time leaders in Jeff Monday in Canada and Jack Warfield in Latin America,” said the PGA TOUR’s Rob Ohno, Senior Vice President, International Tours. “It has also been an interesting two months as we’ve dealt with the COVID-19 issue that has affected the entire world. Scott has been such an asset in Canada, and we’ll benefit from Todd giving his full attention to issues in Latin America. With Scott and Todd at the top of this new structure, we feel both of these Tours are well-positioned to grow and continue to offer up-and-coming players strong places to play where they can further their careers once we start playing golf again. We have two outstanding leaders who will see that this happens.”
Pritchard has spent his entire career working in the golf industry. After graduating from the University of Ottawa, he worked for the PGA of Canada in a variety of roles, between 2003 and 2011. In April 2011, Pritchard accepted the position of Director of Business Development and Communications for the Canadian Tour. When the PGA TOUR established the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 2012, the Tour’s first full season in 2013, Pritchard joined the new Tour as its Director, Tournament Business Affairs. In March 2017, Pritchard became the Tour’s Vice President, a position he held for a little more than three years.
“I am both excited and grateful for this opportunity to lead the Mackenzie Tour. I know what a great Tour it is, and so do our players, who have consistently used this Tour as their path to their ultimate goal, which is the PGA TOUR. To be a part of this and lead our dedicated team is truly an honor. There is much to do, I look forward to all the hard work ahead and appreciate what Todd did during his time in Canada and Jeff Monday before him,” Pritchard said.
In early 2019, Rhinehart took over the day-to-day operations of the Mackenzie Tour after Monday’s retirement and then temporarily added PGA TOUR Latinoamérica responsibilities upon Warfield’s retirement. Pritchard worked closely with Rhinehart as Rhinehart made the transition back to North America after living in Malaysia for the previous seven years as the PGA TOUR’s CIMB Classic Executive Director.
Said Ohno, “We can’t thank Todd enough for the heavy load he carried for a few months, leading and guiding both Tours, and I’m grateful that Scott comes into this new position extremely qualified, having handled so many different parts of the business and seeing the Tour operation from so many perspectives.
“We have been very impressed with Scott’s growth and achievements on the Mackenzie Tour over the years,” Ohno continued, “and nobody knows this Tour better than Scott. The passion he brings to work every day makes him a perfect fit to run the day-to-day operations of this Tour.”
Along with the seasons of all other International Federation of PGA Tour members, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season is currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pritchard and his team continue working on amended 2020 strategies and plan to unveil a new tournament schedule in the coming weeks.
Golf courses named in phase one of Saskatchewan “re-open”
Golf courses in Saskatchewan will be allowed to open for play on May 15.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe made the announcement on Thursday during part of the province’s plan to “re-open” following shutdowns brought on by COVID-19.
On March 26, courses were named as “non-allowable” businesses and told to close. No courses were open to play but several across Saskatchewan closed their year-round restaurants or banquet services due to the spread of the virus. Moe said during the announcement the government is trying to find balance of health and safety.
“We have to find the middle ground that continues to keep our case numbers low and keep Saskatchewan people safe while at the same time allowing for businesses to reopen and Saskatchewan people to get back to work,” Moe said.
Every province across Canada had shut down golf except British Columbia. Courses could use their own discretion. The clubs were allowing play with conditions regarding social distancing and other measures, the same will be for Saskatchewan.
Courses will need to adhere to these mandates:
- Physical distancing
- One person to a cart (walking encouraged)
- Raised cups with flags in
- No walk-ons, all players must have tee times
- Tee times 20 minutes apart
- Rakes and ball washers removed
- Public washrooms will be closed
- Driving ranges and putting greens closed
- Locker rooms closed
The Government of Saskatchewan has their five phase plan laid out here and distributed a “Re-Open Plan.” More golf course guidelines can be found on page 35.
Courses will need to keep their restaurants closed for seating, curbside pickup will be allowed. Eating and licensed establishments such as clubhouses are included in phase 3 of the reopen plan but no date was given. Public gatherings are still restricted to under 10.
Golf Saskatchewan, as part of the allied golf associations, has been working with the government (Canadian Society of Club Managers – Saskatchewan Branch, National Golf Course Owners Association Canada – Prairie Chapter, Professional Golfers Association of Canada – Saskatchewan Zone, and Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association) with the hopes of reopening the sport of golf safely during the pandemic. Golf Saskatchewan executive director Brian Lee said he’s pleased the announcement, but safety is still top priority for the people of the province.
“We are pleased with the outcome of today’s announcements. The Government of Saskatchewan’s Business Response Team was great to work with during the lead up to the announcement today. The allied golf associations look forward to working with the Government of Saskatchewan in the days ahead to ensure the health and safety of all the stakeholders and participants as our sport reopens, under the COVID-19 procedures and guidelines,” Lee stated.
Golf Saskatchewan’s provincial championship schedule has not been modified as of today, but will review our procedures and rules for our events in the coming days and weeks. The start of the official season was April 15, scoring for the new World Handicap System will begin when courses open.
Parks and campgrounds will be open on June 1.
Click here to view Golf Canada’s COVID-19 Resource Page.
Reactions to the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open
TORONTO – The 2020 RBC Canadian Open, one of the jewels of the country’s sports calendar, has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PGA Tour announced the cancellation of the tournament on Thursday as part of its revamped 2020 schedule. The four-day competition was scheduled to begin June 11 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto.
Golf Canada and its partners are now in negotiations to use the same venue for the 2021 edition of Canada’s men’s golf championship.
“Overwhelming disappointment for our fans and disappointment for golf in Canada because the RBC Canadian Open has been such a celebration and such a high point for so many of us,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “We’ve been dealing with the scenarios and the prospect of this for some time but the obstacles were just so numerous and from so many directions.”
The Canadian Open, first contested in 1904, is the third-oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA Tour behind the British Open and the U.S. Open.
It’s the first time the tournament has been cancelled since 1944, when it missed a second straight year due to the Second World War. It was also scrapped from 1915-18 because of the First World War.
“We were set to celebrate our 125th anniversary for Golf Canada,” said Applebaum. “When you think about other reasons why it was cancelled, for the World Wars, it’s similar.
“Right now we’re under a federal quarantine act, and both a provincial and city state of emergency. It’s a global pandemic.”
The Canadian Open is the latest major annual late spring or summer sporting event in Canada to be wiped out or postponed because of COVID-19. The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Queen’s Plate in Toronto will not run on their scheduled June dates, while the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament in Montreal, scheduled for August, will not be held in 2020.
The CP Women’s Open is still on the LPGA Tour schedule. It’s slated for Sept. 3-6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.
Although the Canadian Open has been cancelled, the PGA Tour hopes to resume play this summer.
It laid out an ambitious plan to resume its season Thursday, starting at Colonial on June 11-14 in a televised event with no fans in attendance.
Under the PGA Tour’s new plan RBC, the Canadian Open’s title sponsor, would have its other event the RBC Heritage played without fans in late June.
“It is a bittersweet day for us as the sponsor of two tournaments. In a perfect world, both tournaments would be proceeding, ”said Mary DePaoli, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of RBC.
“We held out hope all the way, to the end, but the international travel restrictions, the quarantine measures that we’re all familiar with, and government mandates at so many levels were critical factors because we have to ensure the safety and the health of anyone participating in our tournaments.”
A cancellation seemed increasingly likely in recent weeks as the pandemic worsened. Three regional qualification tournaments set for mid-May were cancelled last month.
Also, the City of Toronto had cancelled its permits for all public gatherings up until June 30.
The edict didn’t apply to sporting events held on private property – like MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, the NBA’s Raptors and NHL’s Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, or the Canadian Open itself at St. George’s in the city’s west end.
However, city co-operation would have been necessary for parking and transit. The city’s edict also cancelled a two-night concert series planned for tournament week as The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban were going to perform at nearby Richview Collegiate Institute.
Although Golf Canada and RBC are already planning the 2021 Canadian Open, DePaoli says the fate of the concert series is still to be determined.
“We will make a decision on the inclusion of a concert series once we understand government mandates around physical distancing,” she said. “Our decision will start with what is permitted and what will society accept by way of gatherings.”
How this cancellation will affect the tournament’s long-term schedule is not yet known, although St. George’s was tentatively scheduled to host the Canadian Open again in 2024.
Applebaum says he’s especially disappointed for the PGA Tour’s Canadian golfers who enjoy the added support of playing on home soil.
“Obviously it’s not an easy decision and there’s very valid reasons for things getting cancelled or postponed,” said golfer Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., before the Canadian Open was officially cancelled. “It’s an event that I’ve been looking forward to all year, really.
“It’s so much fun to play in front of the Canadian fans, the support’s incredible at the RBC Canadian Open.”
Doug Sanders, colourful RBC Canadian Open winner, dies
Doug Sanders brought a flamboyance to golf fashion ahead of his time, a colourful character known as much for the 20 times he won on the PGA TOUR as the majors that got away.
Sanders died Sunday morning in Houston, the PGA Tour confirmed through a text from Sanders’ ex-wife, Scotty. He was 86.
Sanders was still an amateur when he won his first PGA Tour event in 1956 at the RBC Canadian Open in a playoff against Dow Finsterwald, and his best year was in 1961 when he won five times and finished third on the PGA Tour money list.
But he is best known for four runner-up finishes in the majors, the most memorable at St. Andrews in the 1970 British Open. He only needed par on the final hole of the Old Course to beat Jack Nicklaus, and Sanders was 3 feet away. He jabbed at the putt and missed it, and Nicklaus beat him the next day in a playoff.
“If I was a master of the English language, I don’t think I could find the adjectives to describe how I felt when I missed that short one,” Sanders said after the playoff, where Nicklaus beat him by one shot. “But that’s golf, and that’s the fascination of the game.”
Sanders also finished one shot behind Nicklaus in the 1966 British Open at Muirfield. He had a one-shot lead going into the final round of the 1961 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills and finished one behind Gene Littler, and he finished one shot behind Bob Rosburg in the 1959 PGA Championship at Minneapolis Golf Club.
The loss to Nicklaus took its place with other near-misses in golf, such as Scott Hoch at the 1989 Masters. Sanders once cited Walter Hagen saying no one ever remembers who finishes second.
“But they still ask me if I ever think about that putt I missed to win the 1970 Open at St. Andrews,” he said. “I tell them sometimes it doesn’t cross my mind for a full five minutes.”
But there was never any mistaking Sanders, known as the “Peacock of the Fairways” for his Easter-egg collection of colours he wore on the golf course, even after he was done competing.
“The two most frequent questions on tour were, `What did Arnold Palmer shoot?’ and `What’s Doug Sanders wearing?”’ Sanders told Golf Digest in 2007.
Tommy Bolt once said of Sanders, “The man looks like a jukebox with feet.”
Also overlooked were his 20 victories on the PGA Tour, the last of which was the 1972 Kemper Open by one shot over Lee Trevino. He won at some of the bigger spots on tour, such as Colonial, the Western Open and Doral. When he won the RBC Canadian Open in 1956, it was 29 more years before another amateur – Scott Verplank – won on the PGA Tour.
Sanders played in one Ryder Cup, in 1967 in Houston, with Ben Hogan captain of what is regarded one of the best U.S. teams from that era of the matches.
He was born in Cedartown, Georgia, and played college golf at Florida.
Sanders stayed active after no longer competing, sponsoring the Doug Sanders Celebrity Classic for six years and a junior golf championship in Houston.
A message from Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum
To All Golf Canada Members and Member Clubs,
Along with the rest of the globe, Canada is dealing with a debilitating health crisis with COVID-19.
Golf Canada is committed to fostering a safe sport environment. Together with our partners at the Provincial Golf Associations, that commitment includes the health and well-being of golfers as well as every Canadian in the communities where we live and play.
I think constantly about those personally affected by the virus including their families, our most vulnerable citizens and the incredible health care workers confronting the pandemic on the front lines. I worry about the impact to the golf community—owners, operators, PGA of Canada professionals, club managers, superintendents, industry stakeholders, fans and supporters of our championships and every Canadian golf enthusiast that just wants to get out and play. I also applaud the superintendents and their teams, who are taking the strictest precautions to maintain our essential golf properties during this crisis.
Golf Canada fully supports the recommendations and guidelines of Health Canada, the World Health Organization and regional public health experts to prevent the community spread of COVID-19. Currently, most provinces have enacted complete suspensions on all recreational activities and gatherings, including golf facilities. Many clubs throughout Canada have, on their own initiative, instituted temporary suspensions of operations for the wellness of their staff, their golfers and their community at large. I know that those not yet mandated to close are taking every precaution and I respect the pressure felt by those with that immense responsibility.
Golf Canada continues to evaluate all aspects of our business and take measures to protect our athletes, staff, coaches, partners and volunteers. Severe cost controls and risk mitigation protocols have been enacted and we are in constant consultation with provincial, national and international experts along with our member clubs to gather the information we need to make informed and responsible decisions through the crisis.
You will find a toolkit of information here in our COVID-19 Resource Page, which we hope will serve as a reference for everything that can be done today and, in the future, when it is safe to return to golf. I am incredibly proud of the work done by our team, our partners and global stakeholders to put this compendium of information together for all golfers.
This is a turbulent moment and Golf Canada is committed to supporting the golf community through these challenges to the best of our ability. I am encouraged to see the resiliency of our industry—people and facilities engaging to share ideas and best practices, further professional development and provide levity and support for each other through this difficult period.
When the time is right for Canadians to return to recreational normalcy, golf will be well positioned to emerge and thrive, with possible attributes recommended by the appropriate authorities including physical distancing, exaggerated tee-times, personal protective equipment, and the many precautionary health measures that club operators will have in place. I also know that when that recovery comes, courses will be ready to safely welcome golfers back to the tee. Golf will bring us closer together.
For now, as we all make our way through a time of unprecedented uncertainty, let’s commit to what is in our control—to take every precaution to ensure our physical and mental health; to protect our families, staff, volunteers and golfers; and to rally as a community to keep each other safe.
—
Laurence Applebaum
Chief Executive Officer
Golf Canada
Corey Conners making the most of time at home during social distancing
Like most people, Corey Conners is finding new and different ways to fill his time while observing physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
That means playing as the Toronto Maple Leafs in NHL 20 on his brand new XBox, reading books, cooking with his wife Mallory, exercising and cleaning. Conners even put on the cowboy boots he won at last year’s Valero Texas Open and walked around the house for some “positive energy.”
“It’s been great to spend time with my wife at home, we don’t really get to spend extended periods of time at home so we’ve enjoyed it,” said Conners on a conference call on Wednesday, with his cowboy boots beside him. “I don’t really have a plan at this point for getting back out into competitive mode and practising.
“I think I’ll wait another other week or two, since it’s been great for my body and mind to start a refresh and reset.”
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 1, 2020
Conners, from Listowel, Ont., and his wife considered returning home to Canada after the PGA Tour cancelled the rest of The Players Championship on March 12 but ultimately decided to stay at their home in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
That day the PGA Tour also cancelled the Valspar Championship, the Dell Match Play, and the Texas Open in San Antonio where Conners had hoped to defend his crown.
As disappointing as that was for Conners, the postponement of some other dates he had circled on his calendar have hit harder.
He had qualified to play the Masters for the third time in his career but the major has been postponed to an unknown date, likely in October. He was also likely going to represent Canada at the Tokyo Olympics, but the Games have been pushed back to 2021.
“That was a big goal of mine the past couple of years, trying to give myself a chance to be on that team,” Conners said of playing at the Olympics. “I played well enough that I was in a good position to make the team but, you know, things happen out of my control, so it’s still motivating me.”
The RBC Canadian Open, currently scheduled to be played June 11 at Toronto’s St. George’s Golf and Country Club, is also in danger of being cancelled. Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on Tuesday that the city was cancelling its permits for all public gatherings up until June 30.
Although the edict didn’t apply to sporting events held on private property – like the Canadian Open – it did bring an end to the planned concert series held on the Friday and Saturday night of the tournament when the Chainsmokers and Keith Urban were to play on the property of a nearby school.
Golf Canada issued a release after Tory’s announcement saying it respected the city’s decision and would have an announcement on the fate of the Canadian Open within the week.
“I’m really looking forward to getting there, if we can play, but we’ll have to see,” said Conners. “I’d be really disappointed if it gets delayed but obviously it’s not an easy decision and there’s very valid reasons for things getting cancelled or postponed.
“I’ve been looking forward to it all year really, and it’s so much fun to play in front of the Canadian fans. The support’s incredible at their RBC Canadian Open, so if it gets played, I’ll be very happy to get in the mix but if not, we’ll wait until next year.”
In the mean time, Conners is content to putter around the house and keep reading books like “Pound The Stone” by Josh Medcalf and playing Forza Racing and “chell” (NHL 20) but he admits not yet ready to play online against other gamers.
“But I’m going to get pretty antsy shortly, I think, and want to get back out there,” Conners said. “I’ll love to see what the PGA Tour decides, when we’re able to start playing tournaments again, then kind of make a plan from there.”
RBC Canadian Open Statement re: City of Toronto Decision to pull all city permits as a COVID-19 precaution
Today, the City of Toronto made the decision to cancel all permits and access to City services for events through June 30 due to ongoing developments with COVID-19.
We appreciate the factors that led to this decision, in particular that all city resources are being directed to support our communities during this unprecedented health crisis. The health and safety of everyone who supports the RBC Canadian Open – and our community as a whole – will always come first, and we respect the City’s decision.
Together with the PGA TOUR, we are assessing this recent development along with other challenges posed by COVID-19 to determine the best course of action for the RBC Canadian Open. We will make further announcements in the coming week.
Tokyo Olympics rescheduled for July 23 – Aug. 8 in 2021
TOKYO – The Tokyo Olympics will open next year in the same time slot scheduled for this year’s games.
Tokyo organizers said Monday the opening ceremony will take place on July 23, 2021 – almost exactly one year after the games were due to start this year.
“The schedule for the games is key to preparing for the games,” Tokyo organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori said. “This will only accelerate our progress.”
Last week, the IOC and Japanese organizers postponed the Olympics until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This year’s games were scheduled to open on July 24 and close on Aug. 9. But the near exact one-year delay will see the rescheduled closing ceremony on Aug. 8.
“Nice that they were able to do to it so quickly as now all the (international federations) can work towards fixing their calendars for the summer,” Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee said.
There had been talk of switching the Olympics to spring, a move that would coincide with the blooming of Japan’s famous cherry blossoms. But it would also clash with European soccer and North American sports leagues.
Mori said a spring Olympics was considered but holding the games later gives more space to complete the many qualifying events that have been postponed by the virus outbreak.
“Seems like the obvious choice to me,” said Canadian marathoner Reid Coolsaet, a two-time Olympian. “For athletes, like me, who don’t have a qualifying mark, it gives us the opportunity in 2021 to post a result.”
After holding out for weeks, local organizers and the IOC last week postponed the Tokyo Games under pressure from athletes, national Olympic bodies and sports federations. It’s the first postponement in Olympic history, though there were several cancellations during wartime.
“The IOC has had close discussions with the relevant international federations,” organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto said. “I believe the IFs have accepted the games being held in the summer.”
The Paralympics were rescheduled to Aug. 24-Sept. 5.
“On behalf of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, thank you to the IOC, IPC and Tokyo 2020 for rapidly making a decision on the new dates for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021,” Canadian Paralympic Committee president Marc-Andre Fabien said in a statement. “We recognize the vast amount of work that lays ahead to bring a postponed Games to life and greatly appreciate all of their efforts. We commit to doing our part to make the Games a success.
“This now gives our entire sport community a true sense of clarity and a way to move forward. Now we, alongside our national sport organizations, partners, and athletes, can start preparations knowing we all will unite in Tokyo next summer, one year on from planned, and be able to celebrate how sport brings people together.”
Muto said the decision was made Monday and the IOC said it was supported by all the international sports federations and was based on three main considerations: to protect the health of athletes, to safeguard the interests of the athletes and Olympic sport, and the international sports calendar.
“These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organization of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the IOC said. “The new dates … also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes and the IFs.”
Both Mori and Muto have said the cost of rescheduling the Olympics will be “massive” – local reports estimate billions of dollars – with most of the expenses borne by Japanese taxpayers.
Muto promised transparency in calculating the costs, and testing times deciding how they are divided up.
“Since it (the Olympics) were scheduled for this summer, all the venues had given up hosting any other events during this time, so how do we approach that?” Muto asked. “In addition, there will need to be guarantees when we book the new dates, and there is a possibility this will incur rent payments. So there will be costs incurred and we will need to consider them one by one. I think that will be the tougher process.”
Katsuhiro Miyamoto, an emeritus professor of sports economics at Kansai University, puts the costs as high as $4 billion. That would cover the price of maintaining stadiums, refitting them, paying rentals, penalties and other expenses.
Japan is officially spending $12.6 billion to organize the Olympics. However, an audit bureau of the Japanese government says the costs are twice that much. All of the spending is public money except $5.6 billion from a privately funded operating budget.
The Switzerland-based International Olympic Committee is contributing $1.3 billion, according to organizing committee documents. The IOC’s contribution goes into the operating budget.
IOC President Thomas Bach has repeatedly called the Tokyo Olympics the best prepared in history. However, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso also termed them “cursed.” Aso competed in shooting in the 1976 Olympics, and was born in 1940.
The Olympics planned for 1940 in Tokyo were cancelled because of Japan’s war with China.
The run-up to the Olympics also saw IOC member Tsunekazu Takeda, who also headed the Japanese Olympic Committee, forced to resign last year amid a bribery scandal.