Watching what is happening to the Tokyo Olympics 2020 has been like watching a car crash in slow motion. From the initial excitement of the games, it has turned into a worldwide discussion and it looks like slowly a Tokyo Olympics 2021 is becoming a reality…
As the COVID-19 pandemic is getting a tighter grip on the global community and the circumstances not improving, it has been startling that no decision has been made about this year’s Olympic Games here in Japan. An event bigger than any other.
If you read the IOC’s mission it states the aim of the Games is “to celebrate and to encourage the regular practice of sport by all people in society, regardless of sex, age, social background or economic status”. As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads further it is threatening exactly that. Because what this virus does, it affects all of us regardless of race or status.
Talking about priorities
And yes, we all heard about the financial implications, the logistics, and the wider sporting events calendar, but I think most of us did not really care that much about it. When lives are at risk, economic gain or reducing losses should not be at the forefront of today’s leaders’ priorities. As we are all watching Italy, Spain, and America drowning in cases it seems unreal to even think to have a global party in July.
It is puzzling as we know people have lost their jobs. Many of us have family members, friends or colleagues that are affected. And with the inevitable economic downturn, where would anyone even take the funds from to travel to Japan this summer?
With athletes under lockdown, sporting facilities and gyms closed, what point is there to hold the games, if they cannot adequately train or have to risk their health to do so? And letting more people qualify certainly does not solve the issue.
Should the @olympics be canceled? No one knows at this point and that IS my point. To say for certain they will go ahead is an injustice to the athletes training and global population at large. We need to acknowledge the unknown. #COVID19 https://t.co/CssKuMaMhj
— Hayley Wickenheiser (@wick_22) March 17, 2020
Change is in sight
With the Japanese government and the IOC stubbornly denying any adjustments to the Tokyo games over the last couple of weeks, it came as a surprise that their tone has finally changed. With athletes sharing their dissatisfaction and more and more members of the IOC themself starting to have doubts, admitting there may be a delay is significant.
Health and safety paramount as IOC Executive Board agrees to step up scenario-planning for the Olympic Games #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/jvLYoW9yfG
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) March 22, 2020
And just as the IOC is deliberating whether and how to solve this, Canadian prime minister Trudeau may have made the decision for them: Team Canada will not join the Tokyo Olympics 2020!
The Canadian Olympic Committee, as well as the Canadian Paralympic Committee, released an official statement on Sunday, that no Athletes will be sent this summer to Tokyo.
#TeamCanada will not send athletes to Games in summer 2020 due to COVID-19 risks.
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) March 23, 2020
????https://t.co/AKmI2rbyeO pic.twitter.com/8McEbgirVp
It is a bold move, one so desperately needed. And with other countries such as Australia considering the same. This pressure may finally help clear people’s minds and move the right priorities back into focus.
For me, as much as I would love the games to be held as normal, I accepted a few weeks ago that these days are not normal. And the sooner we deal with it, the faster we can start working toward solutions, find answers and yes, safe lives.
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Featured Photo by Bryan Turner on Unsplash
