By Tim Stannard/beIN SPORTS USA

US Olympics Committee calls for postponement of 2021 Games as IOC member admits decision already made 

Further pressure has been piling on the International Olympic Committee to formally postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and Paralympic Games - a decision which really does seem like a foregone conclusion, unfortunately. 

That pressure came from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee - arguably the most important member of that group - who have issued a statement saying that "the path toward postponement is more promising," calling for some closure over the 2021 Games. 

This appeal lands at the same time as long standing IOC member, Dick Pound, revealed that his organization has already taken the decision to postpone the Games, but are working out the details of what comes next. 

"The Games are not going to start on July 24th, that much I know," said Pound to USA Today Sports in response to Canada formally announcing that a team would not be sent to Japan and Australia telling athletes to prepare for 2021 instead. 

A fairly decent sign that now is not the optimal time to organize the biggest sporting event in the world is the reported plans for the Olympic torch relay which was due to begin in Japan on Thursday. 

Normally, one runner would pass the torch to another and so on and so on across the hosting country, in front of cheering crowds until the start of the Games. 

However, there will be no torchbearers or public watching them reports national broadcaster NHK. In fact, there won't even be a torch. Instead, the Olympic flame which arrived from Greece on Friday will be driven about the Fukushima Prefecture in a vehicle with the odd onlooker watching from an appropriate distance.

Breaking News - Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has announced that the International Olympic Committee has agreed to a proposal from the organizers of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to postpone the Games to 2021. More details to follow.

The Sports Burst live show will bring you all the latest from the day's news at 12PM ET  on the beIN SPORTS Facebook page, Youtube channel and beIN SPORTS XTRA channel. 

Wolfsburg returns to training as Italian clubs shelve comeback plans 

At the same time as Napoli and Lazio shelved plans to return to training this week, Wolfsburg became the first soccer club in Europe's top five leagues to regroup. 

All sporting events in Germany have been put on hold until at least 3rd April but the Wolfsburg squad gathered together on Monday "in small groups at staggered intervals exclusively in the gym," announced the Bundesliga team. 

It was an example of how the COVID-19 virus was impacting European countries differently as Monday was also the day that Spanish football was formally put on hold indefinitely as the virus takes a terrible toll on the country and UEFA announced that the UEFA Champions League final, Women's Champions League final and Europa League final had been suspended. 

However, there was at least one sign of normality in the soccer world. Cristiano Ronaldo managed to get a photo of himself with his top off, casually flexing in his home gym in Madeira. As you do. 

US Soccer appoint new CEO ahead of Tuesday media call 

Tuesday could see more headlines made by US Soccer. Which often doesn't go well. 

However, the organization will be hoping that they are better than the recent stir caused by a leaked US Soccer legal document in the equal pay case that claimed that women should not be paid the same as the men because of physical inferiority, to paraphrase the vibe. 

That revelation lead to the resignation of US Soccer's President, Carlos Cordeiro with former VP Cindy Parlow Cone taking over. Monday saw the US Federation appoint a new CEO, William Wilson, in a position that had been vacant since September. 

Wilson does not exactly look like an outsider to shake things up having previously served in executive roles in MLS and Soccer United Marketing. 

Both will be the participants in a media conference call on Tuesday which could give an indication on how the organization will handle the various legal issues piling up in the collective in-box.