Tokyo Olympics: IOC allows teams to have alternate players as part of the squad

In a new guideline by IOC, they have allowed ‘stand-by’ or ‘alternate’ players as part of certain team squads for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. In the Olympics, team sports consist of fewer players than what is available for other international events. However, IOC, after talking to the International Federations (IFs) decided “to provide flexibility for team selections in several sports.”

“Previously, ‘alternate’ replacements were available in the sports of football, handball, hockey, rugby, and water polo; however these were available only as permanent replacements for the Olympic squads,” IOC said in a statement on Saturday.

“Now each National Olympic Committee (NOC) will be able to use these athletes in each match.

“This will not increase the number of athletes on-site in Japan, but will give more flexibility to select within the wider squads, recognising the unique situation for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and giving NOCs maximum flexibility in choosing match squads.”

FIFA said the Olympic rosters this year will comprise 22 players (including four alternate athletes) and all of them will be available for selection for a match but the number of players on the start list will remain at 18.

During the earlier Olympics, the rosters used to comprise 18 players and four alternates with the alternate athletes coming as a replacement in case of an injury to a player, and once replaced, a player couldn’t return.