“Frankly, the situation we are facing is unprecedented. The development has been very fluid and we are receiving new information on a daily basis.

“Of course, we respect any decision made by the Tokyo organising committee, Prime Minister Abe and ultimately the IOC regarding Tokyo 2020. The health of every athlete is the most important factor of consideration.”

Fok also said that the work is not over as they await more information from the IOC.

“We, of course, will have to wait for the final confirmation regarding this subject from the IOC. If it is finally confirmed that the Games will be postponed by a year, our work will not end.

“We need to work closely with our counterparts to ensure our athletes’ expectations are met and we will also need to liaise with the IOC and IFs to see what will happen to the current qualification system and for those who have already qualified.

Abe agrees to Tokyo 2020 postponement after call with Olympics chief

“We will work closely with the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Sports Institute to ensure the best interest for our athletes,” Fok said.

Oscar Coggins, the Hong Kong triathlete who was close to qualifying, said he was not surprised by the postponement.

“Obviously it’s disappointing but the writing has been on the wall for a while so I’m not shocked by the news. On the bright side I would’ve been the youngest athlete racing the men’s Olympic triathlon this year so I think an extra year of experience and training could greatly improve my result.”

Director general of the Olympic Council of Asia, Husain Al Musallam, called on the sporting world to unite.

“The IOC, along with Japanese authorities, have tried to delay this decision as long as possible in the hope that the situation might improve in the coming weeks and months but, sadly, this has not been the case.

“Now is the time for the Olympic sports movement around the world to show unity and solidarity and to work as one team in preparing for a brighter future.”

The impact of the decision, which is widely agreed to be correct, has yet to be seen.

“It is mind-bogglingly complex to make a sudden change after seven years of preparation for the biggest sporting event in the world,” Michael Payne, the IOC’s former head of marketing, told Agence France-Presse.

World Rugby, who oversee the sevens event that joined the Olympic fold in Rio de Janeiro four years ago, expressed their understanding for “the prudent and necessary decision” in a statement.

“The health and safety of the athletes, fans, and everyone involved is our shared priority and responsibility and we believe the right decision has been taken in these very difficult and unprecedented circumstances,” it said.

Senior IOC official says Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed

“We look forward to working closely together in a spirit of partnership with the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and all other stakeholders towards the rescheduling of the Games, and our belief from the outstanding Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan is that the hosts will come out of this adversity stronger and more committed than ever before to deliver an exceptional Games.”

That was backed by the English FA, who were combining with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to create a Great Britain women’s team for Tokyo.

“The health of everyone – players, staff and supporters – is our foremost concern and our international sporting calendar must respect and respond to that priority above all else. We are therefore fully supportive of the IOC’s decision to postpone the Olympic Games,” the FA’s director of women’s football, Sue Campbell, said on their website.

Team GB tweeted their support for the decision. “A message to Tokyo: When the timing is right we will come and celebrate the Games with you,” they wrote. “To our athletes, the nation and the world: Until then, stay safe and look after each other.”

Individual athletes expressed their understanding. “Of course every single athlete was looking forward to competing in the 2020 Olympic Games this summer,” US women’s football star Carli Lloyd told USA Today. “As the world has dealt with an unprecedented virus that continues to escalate, postponement seemed inevitable.”

Callum Skinner, retired cycling team sprint Olympic champion, who fronts competitor-led movement Global Athlete – among the early voices to call for a change to the calendar – tweeted his approval.

Tokyo 2020: China stands with the IOC as countries pull out

“The right decision has been made. Tokyo 2021 presents an amazing opportunity to host a full Games celebrating the world [hopefully] entering the ‘post-pandemic’ phase,” he wrote.

Sophie McKinna, a British shot putter, agreed. “The right call in unprecedented circumstances. Welcome to #Tokyo2021,” she tweeted.

Paralympians also spoke out with Ali Jawad, a silver medal-winning powerlifter also tweeting that it was “The right call in unprecedented circumstances. Welcome to #Tokyo2021.” However, the event will still be called Tokyo 2020 when it takes place next year.