More than 7,800 athlete places already secured for Tokyo 2020

Rigorous health and safety protocols have allowed the Tokyo 2020 qualification process to progress across the globe under the COVID-19 pandemic as part of more than 260 major events successfully organised by the International Sports Federations (IFs) in the five continents since September (20 in the past two weeks).

These events have had the cumulative participation of some 40,000 athletes and allowed the share of quota places allocated to reach 70 per cent, which corresponds to over 7,800 athletes. The experience gained by IFs and athletes has been incorporated into the development of the Tokyo 2020 COVID-19 countermeasures and Playbooks.

Of the total quota places for the Games, 20 per cent remain to be allocated via rankings and only 10 per cent via qualification events taking place by the deadline of 29 June announced last year as part of the adapted qualification systems following the postponement of the Games.

There are a number of sports and disciplines that have already completed their qualification processes, including Cycling Road, Cycling Track, Diving, Equestrian, Football, Handball, Hockey, Sport Climbing, Volleyball, Water Polo and Wrestling. 

International competitions have returned across all Olympic sports, and a number of them have been staged in Japan, including 12 test events.

Sports facing challenges have shown flexibility, resilience and determination to adapt their qualification systems. The process for that was also announced in July last year to protect the integrity of the qualification pathway and ensure full quota allocation.