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The Canadian Olympic Committee announced Sunday that it would not field athletes for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games set to be held in Tokyo this summer, citing the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, The Hill reported. 

In a joint statement obtained by the CBC, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CAC) said that they had made the "difficult" decision to withdraw from the games to avoid exposing athletes or other officials to coronavirus.

"This is not solely about athlete health - it is about public health," the committees added. "With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games."

The statement goes on to explain that Canadian officials will reconsider if the games are postponed beyond their currently scheduled opening date in late July.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said for the first time on Monday that the Tokyo Olympic Games may need to be postponed if the event cannot be held in its “complete form” due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Reuters.

Abe said while cancelling the Games was not an option, a delay was now on the cards if the event could not be held in its complete form.

“If that becomes difficult, we may have no option but to consider postponing the Games,” he told parliament.