The fate of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, before which a little more than four months remain, is still unresolved. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, competition is in question, despite calls from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for athletes to remain calm and continue training. However, every day in the sports world, dissatisfaction with this uncertainty is growing, and more calls are being made to cancel the Games or postpone them for at least one year. Such requirements are already put forward not by individual athletes, but by entire sports organizations.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many potential participants in the Tokyo Olympics faced really serious preparation problems. In conditions of quarantine and self-isolation, it is impossible for athletes to train properly. Also, they do not have the opportunity to keep fit in competitions, which are simply canceled for the next few months. This at the same time led to another problem - along with the usual starts, many qualifications for the Olympic Games were canceled, and in the current conditions a significant number of athletes simply can not pass the selection if the Olympics do begin on July 24th.
The Norwegian Olympic Committee was one of the first to address a pressing issue. He published an open letter to IOC President Thomas Bach recommending that the Olympic Games not be held in Tokyo until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Norwegian Olympic Committee monitors preparations for the Olympic Games on a daily basis. We understand the difficult situation facing the Japanese health authorities, the organizing committee of the Olympics and the IOC. We are confident that when making its recommendations, the Tokyo 2020 working group will rely on the highest medical standards and put the safety of athletes above all else. As for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, for us, as for the IOC, in the first place - the health and safety of athletes. In the light of this difficult situation, we would be grateful if the IOC would indicate to us the main stages of the process leading to the final decision on Tokyo 2020. We are firmly convinced that the Olympic Games in Tokyo should not be held until the situation with COVID-19 is taken under control around the world, ”the letter said.
The position of the Norwegians was immediately supported by the Brazilian Olympic Committee. On his official website, he openly called for the Olympic Games to be rescheduled for July and August 2021. The statement said that because of the pandemic, athletes will not be able to perform at the highest level due to the inability to train and participate in other competitions.
“As a judoka and a former coach, I know that every athlete’s dream is to perform at his best at the Olympic Games. At the moment, it is obvious that when holding the Games this year, this dream will not be fully realized. The IOC has faced serious obstacles before, be it the cancellation of the Games due to world wars or the boycott of the Olympics in Moscow and Los Angeles. The organization was able to overcome them, and the Olympic flame burns brighter than before. I’m sure that under the leadership of IOC President Thomas Bach, the 1976 Olympic champion, we will overcome these difficult times, ”said Paulo Wanderlei, head of the Brazilian Olympic Committee.
The idea of moving the Olympic Games forward for one year was also picked up in the United States. The local swimming federation requested the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to protect the rights of athletes and to ensure that the competition is postponed.
“In the months before the Olympics, everyone faced unimaginable difficulties, which casts doubt on the principle of equal conditions for everyone. Our athletes are under tremendous pressure, experiencing incredible stress and anxiety. Their mental health and well-being should be in the foreground. It is with this serious concern in mind that we respectfully request the USOPC to advocate the transfer of the Tokyo Olympics for one year. There are no perfect answers, and it will not be easy; however, such a decision will clearly indicate our future path and allow all athletes to prepare for a safe and successful Olympic Games in 2021. We urge the USOPC, as the leader of the Olympic movement, to say their word and protect the interests of athletes, ”the US Swimming Federation said in an open letter.
A statement with a similar message was made in another influential American organization - the US Athletics Federation. They are sure that the global crisis provoked by the coronavirus pandemic will not allow athletes to prepare for the Olympics properly and show their class, not to mention the fact that their health will be in jeopardy.
The USOPC did not promise that they would defend the position of the two federations that bring the committee the most medals at the Olympic Games. The organization believes that athletes should not be deprived of a chance to speak until ultimate clarity is reached on the issue of holding competitions.
“We have heard that athletes would like the Olympic and Paralympic community to think very carefully about the next steps - it is necessary to make sure that athletes are not deprived of the opportunity to speak at the Olympic and Paralympic Games prematurely until the situation is clear enough,” the head said in a reply USOPC Susan Lyons and CEO Sarah Hirschland.
They also noted that, according to the World Health Organization, it is too early to talk about the final date for the Tokyo Olympics. At the same time, the USOPC reported that they would certainly inform the IOC at the next meeting of the executive committee, which will be held next week. The organization noted that at the moment, the IOC is consulting with all national Olympic committees on the difficult training conditions in which athletes find themselves.
Although the postponement of the Olympics for one year ahead following the example of Euro 2020 seems to many to be a reasonable solution, this option also has several disadvantages. The calendar of international sports for 2021 has not yet been revised because of the coronavirus, and many summer competitions will be in jeopardy if they have to compete for the attention of fans with the Olympic Games. In addition, the question will arise about the placement of athletes in Tokyo - apartments in a specially constructed Olympic village have already been sold and will be settled in the fall of 2020. Also, some sports facilities of the Olympics are temporary structures, the contents of which during the year will lead to additional costs of the organizing committee of the Games.