Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will not be affected by Olympics postponement – Grevemberg

The staging of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will not be impacted by the International Olympic Committee’s decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics.

The 2021 World Athletics Championships and World Swimming Championships are set to be pushed back a year as a result of the Tokyo decision, culminating in a potential fixture clash.

In a worst-case scenario, British stars like Dina Asher-Smith and Adam Peaty would be faced with the decision over whether to pursue further world glory or compete in front of their home fans.

But while Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive David Grevemberg has vowed to work with his counterparts to streamline the 2022 sporting calendar, the PA news agency understands altering the Birmingham start-date of July 27 is not an option.

Grevemberg said: “We remain fully committed to hosting a successful Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England during 2022.

“Over the coming weeks, we will continue to work collaboratively with International Federation partners to ensure the XXII Commonwealth Games maintains its position and stature on the global sporting calendar.”

One additional consequence of the Tokyo decision is the likely postponement of the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games, scheduled for Trinidad and Tobago.

Both the prospective Tokyo clash and the economic impact of the coronavirus in the Caribbean is likely to lead to the Games being delayed until at least 2023.

Grevemberg added: “For the Commonwealth Sport Movement, the Olympics could now take place in close proximity to the Trinbago 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games.

“For this island state, preparations for the event have already been impacted by the dramatic increase in cases of COVID-19 in the region as well as the instability of the global economy.

“We will continue to work closely with our friends and partners in Trinidad and Tobago to assess the delivery options for the Commonwealth Youth Games.”