Canada, Australia to withhold Olympic athletes unless postponed

The Canadian Olympic Committee will not send athletes to Tokyo this summer to compete and has called upon the International Olympic Committee to postpone the Games "for one year" amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The release noted that the decision is backed by the Canadian athletes' commission as well as the government of Canada, and it marks the first country to publicly announce that it will withhold athletes from the quadrennial competition if held July 24-Aug. 9 as scheduled.

"This is not solely about athlete health - it is about public health," the statement read. "With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and…