When the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant crashed in Calabasas, it was considered the darkest moment in the world of sports.
Data map: Kobe Bryant retires
Unexpectedly, the fall of the superstar was just the beginning of this "sports year" nightmare.
Under the hood of the new crown epidemic, if you must find a keyword for the world sports world in the first half of the year, there is nothing more relevant than "alive".
"2020, just alive." This is true for major events, sports organizations, and the entire sports world.
Data map: Tokyo, Japan, Odaiba Waterfront Park displays the Olympic rings.
The Olympic Games, held every four years, is a scale for sportsmen to mark time. But the "Olympic Year", which was originally waiting for hard work and the fruit of sweat, was full of the helplessness and helplessness of the broken arm to survive. Compared with the cruel reality, the beautiful hope is like a cloud of mud and tears.
Under the strong oppression of the epidemic, the long-running International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee finally made the decision to postpone the Olympics. This was the first time in a century.
For all the players who have prepared for a long time, especially the old athletes who insist on clenching their teeth, the impact of the Olympics delay is by no means just another year of struggle.
Data map: The main stadium of the Tokyo Olympics.
Just as the popular Japanese star Shinsha Risa in the volleyball circle, due to injuries and other reasons, she decided to retire after the Olympics were postponed. As a hero in helping the Japanese women's volleyball team to return to the Olympic podium in 2012, "Tokyo 2020" was her last dream within her career, but now it has become a regret that can't be remedied for life.
I don't know how long Xinsha Lisha repeatedly weighed, and how much unwillingness and helplessness was wrapped in it, before finally making up his mind. We missed the Olympics close to our doorstep. Although we can't fully empathize, we can understand the meaning of the word "despair" in her words.
Like Xinsha Lisha, some people's Olympic dreams have also shattered, which is hard to achieve.
Data Map: Postponement of the Tokyo Olympics
However, their tears and circumstances may not be able to splash much ripples.
It is not just tens of thousands of athletes who are affected by the delay of the Olympic Games. This unprecedented change in the history of the Olympics in the past century has brought unprecedented troubles and huge losses of trillions of yen. The cold astronomical figures, like a heavy punch, hit the world sports system that was almost overwhelmed, and more than ten million people were involved in it.
Even if the added value generated by radiation is set aside, the Olympic Games, as the highest hall in the world sports field, the negative impact of its postponement is actually a ruthless consumption of the entire international sports organization system from top to bottom.
Announcement of the Zilina Club on liquidation of assets.
As the number one sport in the world, football is less affected by the delay of the Olympics. FIFA, with a solid foundation, has also made its first move to support it.
This is the case with Rao, who is still very "dead and wounded".
The league was shut down, the team was shut down, the huge broadcast contract could not be fulfilled, and there was only a scorched amount of money in the lively stadium in the past. For a time, the salary can be reduced to be lucky.
So big clubs with thousands of fans have introduced new policies to save themselves, and the small teams in the small leagues are tightening their belts in order to survive this wave of winter.
Ten champions of Chinese football, died silently. Data Map: In 1990, Liao Football won the Asian Club Cup (predecessor of the Asian Championship). Image source: Osports All Sports Pictures
Those who withstand it will eventually have to be skinned; those who can't withstand it will be dust for a few years of history.
Just like the Slovak team Zilina, this century-old European football store is completely lost in the storm. On the other side of the ocean, more than a dozen Chinese professional teams echoed away, and the smoke disappeared in one place.
Coincidentally, tennis, which is highly professional and capable of spawning a wealthy sportsman (Federer topped the Forbes 2020 Athlete Revenue List with over $100 million), is also facing a flood-like impact.
In April this year, some foreign media said that Wang Qiang and coach Thomas had differences on salary issues during the epidemic, and the report even said that Thomas had to make money to support his family by sending pizza. Although the two have clarified the matter and reached a consensus, "sending pizza" is not groundless. Thomas did say, "If you really get to the point where you need to deliver pizza, I will do it, everything is just for life."
Screenshot of Denis Novikov on social media.
Thomas, who has worked with Grand Slam champions, has become a well-known coach in the industry. This is still true of him, not to mention the coaches and players who are still persevering although they are unknown. Like Denis Novikov, an ordinary American athlete who failed to play many games on the field, he was known to more people because he had to open a car to make a living.
Behind the absurdity is the cruel truth.
No competition, no bonus, no income, no survival...all of this can happen in any corner of the world.
There are no bystanders in life. In such a large environment, Novikov's helplessness is the epitome of all ordinary practitioners.
Data map: Djokovic China News Agency reporter Yin Liqin
Like Thomas and Novikov, tennis people all over the world are looking forward to the day when the game will resume. However, the absurdity of the Adria Tour Exhibition is like a big pot of ice water, and a brain is poured on these ordinary people who have tried their best to survive.
The cases of cluster infections that occurred in this exhibition match have risen to double digits and are still fermenting, and the macro policies of major tennis organizations cannot be left unaffected. Perhaps Djokovic's original intention to host the game was with good intentions, but this did not excuse the consequences of today's results.
Although Djokovic made several donations after the outbreak and publicly apologized, the tennis world and the entire sports world are now filled with resentment and dissatisfaction with his hasty actions. Djokovic could have used his influence to help fight the epidemic, but the result was only chaos. The resentment and anger directed at him is actually a desire for survival.
European Cup extension
This is still true of football and tennis, not to mention others. Even if various international sports individual organizations are willing to share the difficulties with their subordinate associations, it is difficult for a woman to cook without rice. There are not many people lining up to ask the International Olympic Committee for money, and hope that it will advance the Olympic Games dividend in advance. For those whose eyes are looking forward to "Tokyo 2020", this time is really serious.
Not only international competitions, but also domestic sports events in various countries have to choose to postpone or cancel. From the Olympic Games to the European Cup, to the Japanese National Sports Conference, there are no exceptions. Descriptions such as "first in history" and "not seen in a hundred years" are no longer eye-catching words, but are as common as eating.
It can be accompanied by hard work that is difficult to count, a painstaking effort, and an unprecedented blow.
Athletics World Championships rescheduled
As a result, the top executives of various sports organizations have successively lowered their salaries and then lowered their salaries, until the two outsiders feel numb. In the case of a decline in external investment due to the epidemic, everyone tried their best to tighten the money, just to survive.
How long is this dark tunnel and how long will it take? There is no answer, only perseverance.
But on the bumpy and muddy way forward, sportsmanship is like the light at the end of the tunnel, bringing hope.
Just a few days ago, Liverpool won the team's first Premier League title, and the dreams of several generations finally came into reality. Compared to the joy of success and the overwhelming praise, an even more impressive is an open letter from coach Klopp to the fans.
Liverpool won the championship. Image source: Liverpool Club Official Micro
"If there is no epidemic, I am very happy to celebrate with everyone, but this is impossible. To fight the epidemic, we have to do a lot, and our previous efforts cannot be wasted. We have to do the right thing, and our hearts are connected, But now we need to separate to support each other."
Klopp said he hopes Liverpool fans stay at home as much as possible to help prevent epidemics. Nothing is more proud of him than this.
I think this is what sports are irreplaceable.
Data picture: Chinese women's basketball team shouted "Wuhan Cheering" with fans after the game. Image source: Osports All Sports Pictures
Just like Liverpool has inspired its fans all over the world, in this unsuccessful Olympic year, the Chinese women's basketball team, the Chinese women's football team, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong, Ren Ziwei, Zhang Weili, Xu Jingkun... Chinese sports athletes are also using them 'S spirit inspires the Chinese.
Ten days ago, the CBA rematch. At that time, Yao Ming said: "As the first national large-scale sports event to be restarted in China, the CBA rematch is of strategic significance for the comprehensive promotion of resumption of production and restoration of life, and its social impact has exceeded the basketball itself."
A month ago, on the 60th anniversary of the first Chinese summit of Mount Everest and the first human climb to Mount Everest from the north slope, the 2020 Mount Everest elevation survey mountaineering team succeeded in the longing of expectations and re-measured the third pole in the world .
Data Map: On May 27, the 2020 Everest Height Survey Mountaineering Team members carried out survey work at the summit. Xinhua News Agency reporter Tashi Tsering
At such a special moment, to eliminate the difficulties to complete the height measurement of Mount Everest on schedule, the mountaineering spirit inherited by the warriors far exceeds the sport itself, and the Chinese are also excited.
When the five-star red flag fluttered again on the summit of Mount Everest, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong in front of the camera led the audience to refuel for Wuhan, and the one-armed captain Xu Jingkun completed the voyage around the world...
I think this is the spiritual core of sports delivery.
Data Map: Sui Wenjing Han Cong
During his lifetime, Kobe Bryant admitted that even if he had the ability to turn back time, he would never use it, because it would make all the moments he experienced meaningless, and make life lose its charm and splendor. Those unique feelings that will never be repeated are the true meaning of life.
In the past 6 months, unprecedented, the world sports world has been turbulent in various uncertainties; in the next 6 months, as Japan rises, the hope of recovery is sprouting out of setbacks.
Those who cannot kill you will eventually make you stronger.
(Author Yue Chuan)