The British Olympic Association has decided not to set a medal target for Team GB at Tokyo 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic ©Getty Images

Britain will not set a medal target for the rearranged Olympic Games in Tokyo due to the problems caused in preparation by the COVID-19 pandemic, Team GB’s Chef de Mission Mark England has revealed.

UK Sport, the Government agency which has provided £345 million ($486 million/€402 million) worth of Tokyo 2020 funding for Olympic and Paralympic sport in Britain, had set a target range of 54 to 92 medals in February 2018.

Those targets have now been made redundant by the coronavirus. 

"We haven’t put a medal target on it - and we won’t," England said.

"I don’t think UK Sport will either.

"The past 12 months has given an opportunity for young athletes to be stronger and put themselves in contention.

Team GB won a record 67 medals at Rio 2016, including 27 gold, to finish second on the overall table behind the United States ©Getty Images
Team GB won a record 67 medals at Rio 2016, including 27 gold, to finish second on the overall table behind the United States ©Getty Images

"But it has been very obvious that any competition data in terms of where we stand against our main competitors across the world really isn’t there.

"We only have snatches of times and qualification times."

Britain expects a team of 300-plus to go to Tokyo 2020, due to take place between July 23 and August 8.

Britain won 67 medals, including 27 golds, at the Rio 2016 Olympics, to finish second behind the United States on the table.

The host country finished third at London in 2012 with 65 medals, including 29 golds.