The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo 2020 organisers issued a joint statement yesterday confirming the postponement of this summer's Olympics to 2021. Ian O'Riordan explains why the decision has triggered a sporting backlog like no other: "the decision to postpone into next year also has an immediate knock-on effect on other global championships already booked in for the summer of 2021, including the World Aquatics and the World Athletics Championships, which for obvious reasons of conflict are now staged in non-Olympic years... a backlog of other sporting events including golf and cycling may yet come into consideration, at least when it comes to qualification." Nine Irish Olympic and Paralympic contenders have told us what the change means to them - Thomas Barr is one of those: "Relief, to be honest, was my first reaction."

All golf clubs and public courses in Ireland have closed - first in Northern Ireland following the UK government's lockdown announcement on Monday night and the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union reissued that same decree following the Irish government's move to further restrict movement and leisure activities in the effort to combat coronavirus. Irish racing will also stop until at least Sunday April 19th, as part of those government restrictions. Racing here had been operating behind closed doors since Friday week last and was the only major racing jurisdiction in Europe to still operate after the sport was cancelled in Britain last week.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne admits the IRFU has bought itself a limited amount of time due to its financial standing. The IRFU are in the black he tells Gerry Thornley, "but we're burning up a lot of cash. If this runs into next season then we've a real problem, and not only us but every other rugby union has a real problem, along with the clubs in England and France." With France in lockdown, punishable by €375 fines, the Racing 92 coach Mike Prendergast, a Munster scrumhalf in another lifetime, is holed up in the western suburbs of Paris with his ever expanding family. Read his interview with Gavin Cummiskey here.

Meanwhile Malachy Clerkin's latest coronavirus diary entry comes from Down footballer Kevin McKernan who explains his changing role as a primary school teacher in Newry: "I have my own kids at home and in all honesty, it's a lovely time for me because I can spend more time with them. But it's a very nervous time as well because I've got a lot of family around us."