A world completely changed by Corona ... Half a year until the opening of the Olympic Games on January 22, 21:49

Half a year until the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.

The tournament, which was postponed for the first time in history, is divided by public opinion for and against this summer as the infection of the new coronavirus continues to spread.

Some of the players who play the leading role in the tournament have a conflict that they may not be supported.

On the other hand, some medical personnel involved in the tournament are worried about the event.

Impact that has begun to appear

A turbulence occurred at the All Japan Table Tennis Championships held in January.

Tomokazu Harimoto, who has been appointed as the Olympic representative, disappeared in front of the best four.

Director Yosuke Kurashima, the Japanese national table tennis team, said, "(Harimoto) has been refraining from living at his parents' house for more than half a year due to the corona sickness, so the original movement has not returned."

The slump of the national team players faced as the Olympics approach six months later.

In Judo, in January, Hisayoshi Harasawa, who was unofficially decided to represent the team, attended the international tournament for the first time in a year and a month, but lost one in the first match and hurt his right flank.

Even in wrestling, representative players such as Rei Higuchi, who are preparing for the Olympic qualifying, were defeated one after another at the All Japan Championship last December.

Due to the spread of the infection, the entire training camp scheduled for water polo, wrestling, softball, etc. has been forced to be canceled one after another.

There are many cases in which representative players such as Kento Momota of badminton and Ryo Kiyuna of karate are infected with corona.

All players are facing a difficult situation as to how to maintain the top condition in the corona disaster.

Questionnaire to all competition groups The current situation that emerged

NHK conducted a questionnaire to all 33 competition groups held at the Tokyo Games, added competitions with separate divisions, and received responses from a total of 42 strengthening personnel.

◎ Question: What was the most influential point of the new Corona in the strengthening plan for the Tokyo Games?

(Multiple answers)

・ "Insufficient experience / practice" ・ ・ ・ 74%

・ "Cannot compare with rival players" ・ ・ ・ 43%

・ "Lower motivation of players" ・ ・ ・ 38%

・ "Unofficial players" "Selection" ・ ・ ・ 33%

・ "Financial aspect for strengthening" ・ ・ ・ 24%

・ "Athlete injury and delay in adjustment" ・ ・ ・ 14%

・ "Other / No answer" ・ ・ ・ 26%.

In addition, we asked about the adjustment status of athletes compared to January 2020, that is, half a year before July 2020, when the Olympic Games were supposed to be held.

◎ Question: Adjustment status of players compared to January last year (with duplicate answers)

・ "Progress (good condition)" ・ ・ ・ 29%

・ "Delayed (bad condition)" ・ ・・ 45%

・ "No change" ・ ・ ・ 36%

・ "Other / No answer" ・ ・ ・ 5%

"Adjustment is delayed" 45%.

It became clear that many competitions are forced to make difficult adjustments due to lack of practical experience and changes in the practice environment.

Public opinion swaying in pros and cons of the event Impact on athletes and competitions

The harsh conditions faced by players are not limited to technical aspects.

The public opinion is that the pros and cons of holding this summer's tournament will be shaken by the spread of the infection.

The questionnaire also revealed that these voices had a considerable influence on the players.

◎ Question: Does the difference in public opinion on the event affect the athletes and the competition?

▼ "I don't know / no answer" ・ ・ ・ 55%

▼ "Impact" ・ ・ ・ 26%

▼ "No impact" ・ ・ ・ 19%

The specific reason for "Impact" is "It is unclear whether or not the event will be held." Most of the respondents said, "I feel uneasy about the athletes," and "I feel that I am not expected to play in the Olympics."

Athletes' hearts also shake

Hitomi Niiya (32), who has been appointed as the representative of the 10,000-meter track and field women, speaks frankly about the complicated feelings in the current situation of receiving "headwinds".

Hitomi Niiya

"I want to do (this year's competition) as an athlete. I don't want to do it as a person. I agree with it as an athlete, but I disagree with it as a nation. To be honest, life is more important than the Olympics. I think"

Shintani has a high level of "professionalism" who always says "running is a job", and I think that the competition can be continued only if there are people who support me, so I would like to hold the event in the midst of public anxiety. He is cautious.

That doesn't mean that I'm holding hands.

I have not forgotten my belief as an athlete who hopes that more people will be willing to hold the event by actively disseminating their own running and way of life.

Hitomi Niiya

"The appeal of sports is that people who are watching have dreams and get energized. I want to remember that again and respond to it."

Thoughts on the Tokyo tournament The exceptionally large softball

Softball, one of the competitions that answered "influenced" in the questionnaire, is trying to embark on the mental care of the players.

It will be revived at the Tokyo tournament for the first time in three tournaments since the Beijing tournament, which won the gold medal, but since it will not be held at the next Paris tournament, the players' feelings for Tokyo are extremely big and there are voices of anxiety.

We are also considering following up on the mental aspects of the athletes by creating a place where all the representative members can talk online once a week and having them write down their anxieties and worries in addition to the training content.

Japan Women's Softball National Team Shinsuke Yabata, General Manager of Player Strengthening Headquarters

"There is no choice but to communicate with players who have anxiety and develop positive feelings."

Providing detailed information so that players can feel at ease

We asked experts how to create an environment where athletes can face the tournament in better condition both technically and mentally.

Professor Yoshiyuki Mano, School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University

"There can be no" no spectators "but" no athletes "Olympic Games. By clearly stating that we will proceed in these steps before the event, athletes can compete with peace of mind. It is necessary to provide the information necessary for the athletes in detail because they can concentrate on

Sad voices from medical personnel who support the tournament

On the other hand, there are sad voices from medical personnel who play an important role in holding the event.

Doctors and nurses who are supposed to help athletes and spectators in and around the competition venue.

Medical practice is now being seriously affected by the spread of the new coronavirus infection.

Tokyo Medical Association “I still can't see the tournament plan”

The Tokyo Medical Association has a strong sense of crisis.

I'm still confused that I can't see the tournament plan.

During the tournament, the Tokyo Medical Association will be in charge of spectator relief at the section called the "last mile" from each competition venue in Tokyo to the nearest station, and at three competition venues such as the National Stadium and Tokyo Stadium. ing.

According to the plan before the postponement was decided, some first aid stations will be opened from early morning to late night, and the required number of people is about 30 days, about 1000 doctors and about 1500 nurses. It was estimated that there were about 1000 clerical workers.

It was supposed to be treated mainly for heat stroke patients, and it was supposed to be assigned and dealt with in cooperation with the medical association in the district, but the situation changed completely in Corona.

Director Satoru Arai of the Tokyo Medical Association

"Even when making the initial plan, doctors and nurses have daily work, and if they respond until night, it will affect the work of the next day, so we will get cooperation. The coordination was very difficult. It wasn't shown how the tournament would be held, and we are not in the process of considering a concrete plan. "

When the Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Association sent a questionnaire to medical institutions scheduled to be in charge of relief at three competition venues last fall when the second wave was about to subside, about 3 responded that "cooperation is possible". One-third and the other two-thirds said they couldn't answer at that time.

Satoru Arai, Director of the Tokyo Medical Association

"I would like to hold the event as planned considering the athletes, but the current medical care is at the limit, and even if the number of spectators is reduced by half, it will be difficult to respond and it will be a very difficult mission. Organizing Committee I don't know what kind of story is coming out at the meeting because I don't have a chance to hear it. We can't give an answer unless we ask more specific things such as the expected number of spectators. If it is held, how many will it be? I think it's important to have them show us their plans and talk to each other about whether it's feasible or not. "

Sad voices from doctors in the field

I heard a sad voice from the doctor at the scene.

This time, NHK interviewed several doctors who will be in charge of each competition venue.

One doctor who responded to the condition of anonymity said, "I will continue normal medical care, continue treatment of the new corona, and start vaccination of the new corona. There is room for further Olympic response. No, "he says.

At the medical institution where this doctor works, a total of dozens of doctors and nurses are required to be dispatched to the competition venue during the competition.

However, it is currently accepting patients with the new coronavirus, and has already gathered nurses from other wards for treatment.

It is said that the staff have reached the maximum level of fatigue, such as measures against nosocomial infections that will not let them down for a moment and responding to requests for acceptance of emergency patients coming in one after another, and they cannot afford to start preparing for the Olympics.

The doctor said, "I'm still telling the medical staff to do my best, but I don't feel like I can say" do my best "because of the Olympics. I'm already working 150% and 200%, but it's even more burdensome. I want you to avoid adding it, "he exclaimed in his painful chest.

Until just a year ago, the doctors interviewed have been working on preparations with the hope that the athletes who will participate in the Olympic Games will shine on the best stage.

However, the wishes of such medical personnel seemed to have been covered by anxiety about Corona.

Local venues with scarce medical resources

Concerns have also been raised at competition venues in rural areas where medical resources are scarce than in Tokyo.

Shizuoka / Izu region where the cycling venue and the Olympic Village are set up.

The local core hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine Shizuoka Hospital (Izunokuni City), will be in charge of medical care for the venue and the Olympic Village.

During the tournament, medical staff will be dispatched from the hospital, but since the number of tourists will increase and the number of emergency medical care will increase in the summer every year, we will contact the organizing committee before Corona to set the number of days for staff to be dispatched. He said he had been reduced from "minimum 5 days" to "3 days".

The plan was to manage with the last-minute system while receiving support staff from outside the prefecture such as Tokyo.

However, the situation changed completely due to Corona, and we could no longer expect support from outside the prefecture.

He wants to cooperate for the tournament, but he is confused because there is no information on the future outlook.

Dr. Yoichi Yanagawa, Emergency and Critical Care Center, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital

"It is unclear whether a doctor will be dispatched from Tokyo based on the recent infection situation. I think it may be difficult to decide whether or not there will be an audience, but the progress of the discussion. I want the Organizing Committee to deliver information. "

Tournament Organizing Committee "Stability of medical system is the most important"

How will the Organizing Committee respond to the voices of medical personnel involved in the Games?

We talked to Satoshi Yamashita, director of the tournament management bureau.

Reporter

"Medical personnel say,'It's difficult to hold the event as it is'?"

Director Yamashita

"I think the point is that it is the same, but the doctors who are engaged in treatment become very busy every day. I don't think I can afford to think about the tournament, so of course I think that kind of opinion will come out. As a premise for holding the tournament, in terms of medical care, the new coronavirus will be controlled to a certain situation, and medical care will be provided. We believe that stable provision is important, so it is necessary for Japanese society to bring it to such a situation as soon as possible. We hope that doctors and nurses will participate in the competition smoothly. I would like to devise a mechanism further. "

Reporter

" Is there a voice that the feeling of the future schedule is not conveyed to the site? "

Director Yamashita

" If there is such a point, I have to change it immediately. I have occasionally announced the situation, but if there is such an opinion, I think that it is necessary to actively provide information and eliminate various anxieties. I have to devise it. "

Reporter

" Tournament Some people say that it is difficult to make specific preparations such as the number of medical staff if you do not know the details of the virus. ”

Director Yamashita

“ We were proceeding with consultation based on last year's test event, but the situation is suspended. Currently, the Organizing Committee is in the process of formulating a plan for how many medical staff will be needed for each venue to resume preparations. For example, if there are no spectators, the medical system will be There is no doubt that the hurdles are relatively low, but we should prepare with the most difficult assumptions, and if the government decides that there are no spectators, we should remove that part at that point. Opinion of the medical community I have to deal with the virus sincerely, but now I want to prepare as much as possible. ”In the

interview, Director Yamashita said that in addition to devising information provision to the medical side, medical institutions He revealed that he is also considering financial support to make it easier to dispatch staff.

On top of that, it was impressive that he repeatedly emphasized the recognition that it is most important to control the infection of the new coronavirus in a certain situation and to stabilize the medical system for the holding of the tournament. was.

The Olympics six months later

Some medical professionals said, "If we can reduce the number of infected people and maintain it, we may see the light."

Half a year later.

What will the Olympics look like?

(Sports News Department Coverage Group Yuhei Shimizu / Science and Culture Department Yukiko Yamashita / Metropolitan Area Bureau Natsuko Hamahira / Social Department Haruo Ueda / Shizuoka Bureau Yuta Haraoka)