IOC finalises qualification processes for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed the revised qualification processes for each sport have been finalised ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The IOC said a total of 57 per cent of all the qualification places had been confirmed by the time the Games were postponed. The qualification system principles were updated and approved by the Qualification Task Force, and shared with all the international federations (IFs), in order to adapt the qualification systems for the remaining places to the new timing of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The Qualification Task Force was comprised of Robin Mitchell, IOC Executive Board member and President of the Oceania Olympic Committees (ONOC); Nenad Lalovic, IOC Executive Board member and President of United World Wrestling (UWW); and Kirsty Coventry, IOC Executive Board member and Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

The updates included a number of changes, such as an extended qualification period and new deadlines:

• A new qualification deadline of 29 June 2021, based on the Olympic Games starting on 23 July (day of the Opening Ceremony);
• The potential extension of sport-specific qualification periods if such an extension respects the qualification period deadline of 29 June 2021;
• The revised final entries deadline of 5 July 2021;
• If a qualification system specified age eligibility criteria, the criteria should be extended to cover the new dates, allowing athletes who were eligible in July 2020 to remain eligible in 2021. All eligibility and age criteria would be at the discretion of the respective IFs.

The IOC said it had been working closely with all International Federations (IFs) to determine the necessary adaptations to the Olympic qualification systems for their respective sports, and athletes and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have been consulted as well.

The IOC said in their statement that;  

• Cycling (Road and Track), Equestrian, Hockey and Softball have finished their qualification, and the quotas have already been allocated. Team selection remains to be determined by the NOCs, as in all the sports the quotas are allocated to the NOCs
• Archery, Artistic Swimming, Baseball, Basketball, 3x3, Boxing, Canoe, Diving, Fencing, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Karate, Marathon Swimming, Modern Pentathlon, Rugby, Sailing, Shooting, Sport Climbing, Surfing, Table Tennis, Tennis, Triathlon and Water Polo are continuing with their qualification process as initially approved, and will simply extend the qualification period to reflect the new Games dates in 2021
• Rowing, Swimming, Badminton, Skateboarding, Taekwondo and Wrestling have made minor adjustments to their qualification systems, such as extended periods to obtain minimum criteria, clarification of the process for the reallocation of any unused athlete places, and clarification on the use of specific events in line with the adapted 2021 IF calendars
• Athletics, Cycling (BMX Freestyle, BMX Racing and Mountain Bike), Weightlifting, Basketball and Judo have made major adjustments to their qualification systems

The age requirements of the sports concerned have been amended to reflect the new Tokyo 2020 dates as well. Please see the IOC’s statement here for details.