Update on Status of Tokyo Olympics
by Savannah Cress
Last Friday was September 11, 2020. 19 years since the World Trade Center towers came down in New York City. I overheard my 3rd grader’s teacher telling her class about the events of 9/11 in their morning meeting, which was, regrettably, still via Zoom. The teacher kept it short, sweet and to-the-point, telling the barely-awake group of 9 year-olds her collegiate anecdote of that morning’s events back in 2001. As I observed the lack of awe on my own daughter’s face, my gaze shifted to her computer screen, where 15 of her classmates’ faces held equally-bored expressions. It occurred to me how the massive impact of tragic events throughout history is lost on generations who study those events in classes rather than live through them. I’m not faulting anyone, I know it’s human nature — things we experience are generally more meaningful than those we simply hear or read about. It just semi-freaks me out getting to an age where I witness that loss of impact firsthand.
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As I was musing about my memory of 9/11/01, a third of the way around the world, Tokyo was receiving the unfortunately-timed resignation of Kojo Murofushi. Murofushi previously held the position of Sports Director for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. He announced Friday that he was leaving his position with the Olympics to join the Japan Sports Agency. In most professions, a key organizer on a significant-event committee resigning 10 months before said significant event is no need for panic. However, when that significant event happens to be the largest sporting competition in the world, happens to have been forced to reschedule last minute due to an unprecedented global pandemic, and also happens to now be less than a year out, I’m willing to bet there was a hint of panic in Tokyo as the key public-facing official, instrumental in working toward this Olympics for the past 6 years, submitted his resignation. [1]
In other Olympic news, the vice president of the International Olympic Committee, John Coates, has declared that the Games will begin July 23, 2021 “with or without Covid.” Coates says the Olympic theme for Tokyo was originally the Reconstruction Games, referring to Japan’s comeback from the 2011 tsunami devastation. “Now very much these will be the Games that conquered Covid, the light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. [2] Personally, I am hoping we see light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel long before July 2021, but I get his intention. [2]
So the IOC is determined for the Games to happen, but as far as what they will actually look like, much is still up in the air. Toshiro Muto, Tokyo 2020 chief executive, says it is possible the audience for the Olympics will be “limited,” but they definitely plan to have spectators at the event. The presence of spectators is not contingent on a vaccine being available, despite global health scientists prediction last Spring that without a vaccine, the Olympics would likely have to be cancelled altogether. Muto also mentions a simplification of the opening and closing Olympic ceremonies, as well as a reduction to the delegate and staff numbers from each competing country.
COVID-19 countermeasure planning is in full swing, according to Coates. While safety measures are likely to shift in form to some degree right up until next summer, the Tokyo Coordination Commission is aiming to produce a summary of these measures by the end of 2020. The Committee is studying recent sports events that have started back up, as well as seeking input from the World Health Organization and other infectious disease experts to put a plan in place for combating spread of the virus at such a substantial event as The Olympics. An update on safety measures being considered will be provided at the upcoming Coordination Commission meeting September 24 – 25th. [2] [3] [4]
I’ll leave you with this interesting sidenote: According to an article I stumbled across entitled “Ultimate Guide to Tokyo 2020 – Your Roadmap to the Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan,” from the spectator-planning side of things, most of the major hotel chains near Olympic venues are completely booked up to 10 years ahead of the Games! I mean…I’m a planner, but 10 years..??! That’s next-level right there. That means, if we want the full impact of experiencing an Olympic games in person rather than reading about it through fascinating articles in online magazines, we’ve already missed the boat for a decent hotel in Paris for 2024. There might still be hope for L.A. in 2028, but we would have to hurry…because if it comes down to staying in the Hollywood Budget Inn, I’m going to have to pass and just read about it. [5]
References:
[1]https://japantoday.com/category/sports/olympics-tokyo-2020-director-leaves-ahead-of-rearranged-games
[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54052669
[3] https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/52331657
[5] https://www.yelp.com/biz/budget-inn-hollywood-los-angeles?osq=Worst+Motel
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