Team GB should focus on “more than just medals” as a barometer of success in the wake of the gymnastics abuse scandal and the global pandemic, believes its chef de mission for the Tokyo Olympics. Mark England, who will lead the British team in Japan next year, questioned whether it was time for the “narrative to change” in the wake of bullying and safeguarding issues in a number of British sports – and pointed out that sports stars had shown they could be role models off the pitch as well as on it during the Covid-19 lockdown. “There’s 45,000 people that have died in this country,” said England. “Hundreds of thousands have died across the world. A pandemic is still ravaging through parts of the world and has still to ravage through others. Is it time for that narrative to change? Team GB athletes being role models for the British public and an opportunity that it’s not just medal focused. “I’m hesitant to say ‘more than medals’,” he added. “That is churning out a strap line. But this is a real opportunity to see what’s right in this world and to see what is important and to reflect on that a little bit.” In a conference call to mark the one-year-to-go milestone for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, England refused to be drawn on whether UK Sport’s relentless pursuit of medals had directly led to abuse in sports such as cycling, canoeing, bobsleigh and gymnastics. But he conceded that the question was an “interesting” one. “There has been very wide public consultation about the importance of medals and the pursuit of lottery funding to reward medal success; that has been endorsed by the public,” he added. “But I can only reiterate that abuse and allegations of bullying have no place in the Olympic movement. That’s why many of us are involved in the Olympic Games. It stands for something which is greater than the pursuit of medals. But currently we are measured in that way: that is part of the measurement and part of the high-performance system we have in the UK, for sure.” England also conceded that it would be “bloody tough” for Britain to beat the 67 medals it won at the 2016 Rio Games in Tokyo, but stressed that the BOA’s primary focus was on helping athletes rather than trying to beat the likes of the United States and China. “The medal table outcome is irrelevant to us,” he added. “And I don’t think you will ever hear a Team GB chef de mission talk about medals. What we do talk about is putting in place everything we can possibly do to allow athletes to fulfil their dreams, whatever that might be.” England also confirmed the BOA was working with British athletes and the IOC to find “appropriate” ways to support Black Lives Matter at the Olympics. “I think the Black Lives Matter movement is really important, and not just for the sporting world,” he said. “We are pushing our athletes’ commission really hard to work closely with Kirsty Coventry on the IOC Athletes Commission – what is right and appropriate? Some athletes may take the view that the field of play and the podium is sacrosanct. Some athletes may choose that actually it gives them the highest profile and therefore that is the right and appropriate place. We will listen to what comes out. “But I think it’s close to everybody’s heart and we would absolutely support athletes in whatever way they collectively choose to support the Black Lives Matter.” In Japan, the president of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee has confirmed that the delayed Games will not be staged next year unless the coronavirus pandemic abates. However, Yoshiro Mori said he was hopeful the situation would improve and suggested a vaccine was the key. “If the current situation continues, we couldn’t host the Games, Mori said. “But I don’t think this situation will last for another year. Specifically, to develop a vaccine or drug is the first point.”