OLYMPIC chiefs are closing in on agreement for a start date for the reschedule Tokyo 2020 Games.
Last week, it was confirmed that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Olympic Games were being postponed until 2021.
A spring Games has been mooted, but sources now suggest that the Games will begin next July.
Talks are ongoing between representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 organisers.
It is said that the likely start date is now July 23, 2021 with a closing ceremony pencilled in for August 8, 2021.
This is the first time ever that an Olympic Games has been postponed.
Several sports have had their qualifying tournaments postponed or their qualification process otherwise disrupted as world sports has ground to a halt in recent weeks.
Donegal race walker Brendan Boyce has already booked his place in Tokyo and the Finn Valley AC man has backed the postponement of the Games.
Others from the county, like Mark English, Chloe Magee, Sam Magee and Annmarie McGlynn, had serious designs on making it.