The Spanish Royal Swimming Federation is joining several other national and international sports governing bodies in calling for the postponement of next summer’s Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain’s national governing body for swimming has issued an open letter formally appealing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games.
With the letter, Spain joins a growing list of other national sports federations and high-profile individuals who are calling for the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, including Italy’s Paolo Barelli, the head of the European Aquatics Federation LEN; and both the aquatic federations of the US and Canada.
Yesterday, the Canadian Olympic Committee became the first national Olympic committee to raise their voice, indicating that they would not be sending athletes to represent the nation in Tokyo as a result of growing fears concerning the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Australia would follow soon thereafter.
For further depth on the issue, 2012 Olympic gold medalist Cameron van der Burgh has announced that he has been battling a case of coronavirus-caused infection, therefore becoming the first world-class athlete to publicly disclose his battle with the epidemic.
As per Spain, the nation’s swimming governing body made the decision to suspend its upcoming Olympic Trials earlier this month.
Reigning Olympic 200 butterfly champion, Mireia Belmonte was slated to vie for a spot on her 4th straight Olympic squad. Belmonte currently holds top 10 world rankings this season in four events; the 400 free (5th), 800 free (4th), 1500 free (9th), and the 400 IM (4th). With these rankings, and several more nation-leading times this season she will have a clear shot at the team, along with several potential podium finishes.
Belmonte would have been joined by many other of Spain’s top swimmers including the rest of the 9-athlete roster who represented Spain at last year’s World Champs:
| SWIMMER | CLUB | EVENTS |
| Mireia Belmonte | UCAM Fuensanta | 400/800/1500 freestyle, 200/400 IM, 200 butterfly |
| Marina Garcia | CN Sabadell | 100/200 breaststroke |
| Lidon Munoz | CN Sant Andreu | 50/100 freestyle |
| Jimena Perez | CN Gredos San Diego | 800/1500 freestyle, 400 IM |
| Jessica Vall | CN Sant Andreu | 50/100/200 breaststroke |
| Africa Zamorano | CN Sant Andreu | 100/200 backstroke |
| Hugo Gonzalez | Real Canoe | 100/200 backstroke, 200 IM |
| Juan Francisco Segura | Real Canoe | 50/100 backstroke |
| Joan Lluis Pons | CN Sant Andreu | 200 butterfly, 400 IM |
According to the website worldometers.info, the nation stands fourth in terms of total cases associated with COVID-19 as they have reported a total of 33,089 cases and 2,207 deaths.
