Regarding COVID-19

Official Announcement Issued on March 26th, 2020

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

 

Official Announcement Issued on March 5th, 2020

The Status of IBO2020 Regarding COVID-19

 

March 5th, 2020

The 31st International Biology Olympiad 2020
Organizing Committee
Kagurazaka 3-1, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8601 JAPAN

 

To IBO Country Coordinators and the IBO Community:

The IBO2020 Organizing Committee has been closely following the current COVID-19 situation around the world. After a series of discussions, the Organizing Committee has decided to continue preparing to host IBO2020. However, since the status of the COVID-19 situation may change in the months ahead, the final decision to host IBO2020 will be made by May 31st, 2020. Depending on the status of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (“the Olympic Games”), the final decision will be made based on the following scenarios.

 

Scenario A: It is announced by May 31st that the Olympic Games will be held as scheduled. 

  • We will hold IBO2020.

Scenario B: It is announced by May 31st that the Olympic Games will be cancelled, postponed, or held without an audience. 

  • IBO2020 will be cancelled.

Scenario C: By May 31st, the status of the Olympic Games is undetermined or no announcement regarding the Olympic Games has been made because the risk of the COVID-19 situation is still being determined.

  • IBO2020 will be cancelled.

Scenario D: By May 31st, no announcement regarding the Olympic Games has been made because the COVID-19 situation is controlled or is no longer an issue.

  • We will hold IBO2020.

 

For those who have not completed Initial/Team Registration:

We are extending the deadline for Initial/Team Registration to March 20th 11:59 PM JST. Please complete your registration by that date. If not, your country will be disqualified from IBO2020. If there are special circumstances that make completing registration by this time impossible, please contact us as soon as possible at ibo2020@jsf.or.jp.

 

Personal Registration 

Personal registration will be open on April 5th. The deadline for personal registration has not changed.

  • For those who require a visa to enter Japan, the deadline is April 30th.
  • For those who do not require a visa, the deadline is May 31st.

 

Participation Fees

The deadline for the payment of participation fees has been extended to June 20th. Those who do not pay the participation fee by the deadline will also be disqualified from participating in IBO2020 unless your country is pre-approved to pay the participation fee on-site. Invoices will be sent to all registered countries by April 5th via email.

 

We thank everybody in the IBO community for their patience and understanding as we continue to prepare to make IBO2020 the best it can be. Please contact us at ibo2020@jsf.or.jp if you have further concerns or questions.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Makoto Asashima
President, IBO2020 Organizing Committee