Photo: Kimimasa Mayama, EFE
April 3, 2020
By Franccesco Vassura, Shannon Hart and Teffia Mujijima - Karume
The Olympic Games are known for bringing athletes and fans alike together from around the globe. Every four years the Olympic Games are hosted alternating between the Summer and Winter Games. Hundreds of countries, languages, and cultures define the millions of people that gather for one common purpose, the passion held for their country and dedication to their sport.
Only wars have had the capacity to impede the world to enjoy one of its most amazing shows: the Olympic Games. The 1916 Olympic Games were canceled for World War I, 1940 and 1944 for World War II. Unfortunately, 76 years later history repeated itself: Tokyo Olympic Games will not be canceled but postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has put the global population and economy on their knees with a certain ferocity that was not remembered since the war period.
The decision to postpone the games was welcomed by many athletes and national committees, there was a lot of speculation if the Olympics would take place, now it’s official. Athletes have been preparing their whole lives to represent their respective countries at the biggest athletics event worldwide, the postponement was the right call from the Olympic Committee. Athletes will have to adjust their training due to quarantine and therefore will not be able to train at their fullest.
During struggling situations of illness and uncertainty around the world, it is times like these when our natural instinct is to unite together. The health and well being of others is the most important win to be achieved at the time being.
“Better late than never” could be CIO’s slogan used for the Olympic Games, as the event will still be called Tokyo 2020 even though one year will separate the original date and new dates announced one week ago by the IOC and Japan. The games will open July 23, 2021, and close Aug. 8, 2021. The Paralympics will be held Aug. 24 through Sept. 5, 2021.
As a token to the people of Japan, the Olympic flame will stay lit and on display in Fukushima for the month of April representing a sign of recovery. “The Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present,” said Thomas Bach, President of the IOC.
The date certainly allows time to analyze the economic impact of this postponement: the organizing committee stated 2.6$ billion will be the deferment additional cost, that is going to relapse on Japanese contributors. To be clear, the actual cost for Tokyo 2020 amounts to 12.6$ billion. The costs are in public money except for 5.6$ billions allocated by sponsors and private funding.
So in a world dominated by economic interests, rationality and good sense determine a step-back in the interest of health; with the hope that Tokyo Olympic Games could be characterized by joy and enthusiasm of having defeated an enemy so powerful and invisible that is bordering mankind.
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