Will the Tokyo Olympics Happen This Year (2021) *UPDATED*?
Man, 2020 was a crazy year. So many plans, so many canceled. So many jobs were lost and lives put on hold. It’s in those times we look for an escape — a way of boosting our emotional state and live vicariously through others.
That was supposed to be the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan for many sports lovers. An event held once every four years that pits countries around the world against each other in a friendly game of “Who can win more gold medals?“ The friendly worldwide competition was created with the intent of bringing camaraderie, culture, and sport to the forefront.
Then Covid-19 took its place in the start blocks, dinged its own bell, and ran by all of us with two big middle fingers and a smile. But that’s ok. This is a part of life and with its challenges come the joys of perseverance. So, with 2020 now passed, will we see Tokyo 2021 with ol’ ‘Rona still pacing the track?
Higher-ups within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were expressing concerns that it will not continue as planned, which gave me a less than expectant outlook.
From what I had read earlier on, Japan wouldn’t be vaccinating frontline workers until the end of February to early March, let alone non-essentials. With a resurgence of Covid-19 in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, made up of locals, you can imagine there would be some reservations putting on an event that sees thousands of athletes and hundreds of thousands of spectators and media from countries all around the world in the same area they are trying to mitigate.
Will they even allow any in-person spectators other than media?
According to a survey being tossed around by some major news outlets, 80%+ Japanese residents feel that the Tokyo Games should be canceled, postponed, or don’t feel it should happen. Not what I wanted to hear…
The good news is, the IOC has now stated that there is “No Plan B” and they plan to fully forge ahead with the Tokyo Games on July 23rd! The president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, issued a statement explaining that there was “no reason whatsoever” at this point that the Olympics wouldn’t be proceeding as planned. With each postponement adding hundreds of millions of dollars to the original price tag.
That’s great news for athletes, the city of Tokyo, and fans around the globe.
They have assured that athletes will be tested frequently for COVID-19, as well as be shuttled between venues, asked to stay their visitations outside the “five-ringed bubble” at Olympic Village, and likely try and quarantine themselves from each other as much as possible.
As we continue to battle, we forge ahead per usual, heads held high and hands pressed together. What do you guys think about Tokyo 2021 and the chances of it still occurring? If not, will we still see the World Championships for athletics (track and field) in Eugene, Oregon in 2022?
