This week in Olympic sports history: March 18-24

Tokyo 2020: The First Postponed Games in History

The decision marked the first time in Olympic history that the Games had been postponed. While the Games had been cancelled outright on several occasions during the tumultuous 20th century, including during both World Wars, the Tokyo 2020 Games retained their name despite the shift in schedule.

Fast-forward to 2021, and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were reborn as a symbol of global solidarity and resilience. From July 23 to August 8, 2021, around 11,000 athletes participated in the delayed edition. The impact of the pandemic resonated, with public spectators kept at bay, making it the first and only Olympic Games to be held without official spectators.

The Tokyo 2020 Games, held in 2021, had an array of new sports and events, including skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, karate, BMX freestyle, and 3×3 basketball. The diversification of the Olympic program also fostered gender-equal competition opportunities, with nearly equal representation of male and female athletes.