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Tokyo Olympics: North Korea absence opens up weightlifting medals, but country showed its hand before coronavirus
- North Korea pulled out of EAFF football finals in South Korea in December 2019, well before coronavirus became pandemic, and will miss AFC Cup
- Country won seven medals at Rio 2016 despite being smallest delegation and its absence will open up weightlifting medals
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Multiple reports have said that North Korea will not send a team to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer, citing the country’s sports ministry’s website.
“The committee decided not to join the 32nd Olympic Games to protect athletes from the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus,” Joson Sports site said.
The International Olympic Committee has said there has been no official contact from the North Korea Olympic Committee confirming their intention to stay home.
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However, the country has closed its borders for arrivals for more than a year in an effort to combat the coronavirus, a move which has seen its former ambassadors stranded overseas after Pyongyang sent replacements, as is the case in Beijing.
01:23
North Korea to pull out from Tokyo Olympic Games
North Korea to pull out from Tokyo Olympic Games
North Korea has officially recorded no coronavirus cases, according to reports, though doubts have been expressed over that claim.
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