World Athletics announced on Tuesday that Olympic qualifying has been suspended until December 1, 2020, meaning that athletes will not be able to achieve qualifying standards or enhance world ranking position for the Tokyo Games until that date.

Last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the rescheduled Olympic Games would take place July 23 to August 8, 2021.

Track and field may resume in some form later this summer, but performances will not count towards Olympic qualification. This decision was made in consultation with World Athletics’ Athletes’ Commission, Area Presidents and Council according to the statement.

As long as competition is safe to resume in December in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the extended qualification period will run from Dec. 1, 2020 to June 29, 2021 for most events.

Of course, World Athletics will still honor marks achieved inside the qualifying window that began in 2019. Given the unique circumstances of the virus postponing or canceling competitions throughout much of 2020, athletes will have four additional months from which to achieve necessary standards.

Chart courtesy of World Athletics: