The Olympic Games, the greatest sporting show on Earth, has been put back to 2021 as the world works to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control.

The International Olympic Committee, Tokyo 2020 organisers and the Japanese government finally bowed to the inevitable on Tuesday and confirmed that the Olympics and Paralympics will now be held in 2021, in the summertime of that year at the latest.

It brings an end to speculation which has shrouded the Games since the initial Covid-19 outbreak in China at the turn of the year, with the pressure from national Olympic committees and international sports federations to postpone having mounted on a daily basis as the virus spread from continent to continent, and city to city.

British Athletics announced the suspension of all athletics activity within the UK had been extended to May 31.

In Germany, football’s governing body the DFL confirmed the executive committee will recommend a further suspension of match operations in both top divisions until at least April 30.

The Rugby Football League, meanwhile, confirmed there will be no resumption of fixtures in the foreseeable future, having imposed a three-week shutdown from March 16 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.