On March 24, 2020, the 2020 Summer Olympics were officially canceled. The games were meant to begin on July 23, 2020, in Tokyo, Japan, but because of COVID-19, the games were postponed. This is the first time that the games were postponed since 1944. It is the fourth time overall that the games have been canceled. The first instance was in 1916 during World War One, and the second and third instances were in 1940 and 1944 during World War Two. The three Olympic games that were canceled were not played at a later date.

On March 30, 2020, it was decided that the games would be made up on July 23, 2021, through August 8, 2021. Even though the Olympics will be played in 2021 it will still be called the 2020 Olympics. If someone turns sixteen before the Olympics then that person will be eligible to play in the games. Also, the chief of the International Olympic Committee has already stated that if the Olympics can’t be played in 2021 then they will be canceled.