The Games were set to start in July but have been moved back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed more than 120,000 lives to date.

Zaytsev, who is 31 and could be competing at his last Games, is looking for his third consecutive Olympic medal in Tokyo having won bronze at London 2012 and making the final at Rio 2016 where he won silver behind Brazil.

Italy will be in Pool A with hosts Japan, 2014 and 2018 world champions Poland, Canada, Asian champions Iran and Venezuela, so have been kept separate in the pool stage from their opponents in the final of the 2016 Games.

Speaking to Italian sports daily publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, Zaytsev spoke about his frustrations of losing the Rio 2016 final to the host nation, but aims to bounce back next year.

He said: "We often complain about the lack of rest in an overfilled calendar - this year it can be the summer when the joints are given a breather after years of stress.

"Considering that this year has become the pre-Olympic year, I don't think it will be a bad thing.

"Even now I can't stand watching those images [of the Rio final].

"We didn't play well, just like the semi-final of the 2015 European Championship against Slovenia in Sofia, but you can't live in the past, you need to think and look to the future."

Italy booked their place at Tokyo 2020 at the first time of asking when they defeated Serbia, Australia and Cameroon in the qualifiers.