Official Statement from the IBO2020 Organizing Committee:
Regarding the Status of the Event
March 26th, 2020
The 31st International Biology Olympiad 2020 Nagasaki
Organizing Committee
2-1 Kitanomaru-koen, Chiyoda
Tokyo 102-0091 JAPAN
Dear IBO Community:
Thank you for your support and patience through the uncertainty and challenges that COVID-19 has caused IBO2020.
After a series of discussions following the official postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the IBO2020 Organizing Committee has officially decided to cancel IBO2020 that was to be held in Nagasaki from July 3rd to July 11th, 2020. However, the Organizing Committee and the IBO Steering Committee are now discussing the possibility of holding a remotely conducted alternative to our usual IBO. Our goal would be to pose biological challenges to selected students to allow them to show their abilities. This alternative event would be conducted remotely within each country.
We ask for your understanding that such a plan cannot be made in a few days, and that we will need time to discuss and organize a plan. Therefore, in cooperation with the IBO Steering Committee, we will create a proposal for a remotely-held IBO challenge. More details on this alternative IBO event will be announced by the end of April. After this announcement, we will conduct a poll amongst all IBO members to see which countries might accept such an alternative event and participate in it. If you have any questions or requests, please contact us at ibo2020@jsf.or.jp.
Sincerely,
Dr. Makoto Asashima
President, IBO2020 Organizing Committee
Source: https://ibo2020.org/en/event-info/regarding-covid-19/
