Melanie Jimenez - Reflections Head
So, I’m sure many of us are aware of the fact that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are being postponed until next year. To be honest, it wasn’t that big of a surprise because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Olympics would connect all corners of the world and congregate them in one single city; the most populated city in the world, in fact. It would turn risks into certainties and cause more trouble than benefit. So, postponement was the best option.
However, for many athletes, the postponement of the most prestigious sports event in the world could actually spell disaster. It also brings up many technical issues, such as the selection of the new IOC committee, preparations for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and reserving venues for the events.
You may be thinking, “this postponement is a good thing: it means that athletes can hone their craft even more in preparation for the 2021 Olympics”. But for many athletes, such as gymnasts and martial artists, they physically prepare themselves and schedule their training so that they are at their peak physical condition at the time of the Olympics. For athletes who intended to have the 2020 Olympics be their final event—their last battle for glory in their aging veteran bodies—this means that they have to train a year longer and keep their high rankings against younger, stronger, and more prepared contestants.
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) is the governing body of the Olympics. They plan the logistics of each Olympic event, provide financial support, and promote the idea of “Olympism” around the world. For each Olympic event, a new Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission (IOCAC) is chosen to represent the athletes on the executive board. Kirsty Coventry—the current IOCAC for the 2020 Olympics, as well as a former competitive swimmer and politician—is going to remain on the executive board until after the Tokyo Olympics are over.
Additionally, professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto of Kansai University estimates that the economic damage from postponing the games would amount to about ¥640.8 billion (about 6 billion USD). This is due to maintenance, repair, and management costs of the many venues, public areas, and Olympic Villages, the transportation costs of the athletes, and other public relations costs. The damage would be even more significant if the 2020 Olympics were outright cancelled.
For many, this loss just isn’t worth it. There are many critics who claim that the Olympics are a waste of money in order to promote tourism and show off “the good side” of a country while hiding the darker truths.
I, however, believe that the Olympics are much more than tourist magnets.
The Olympics represent dreams. The dreams of athletes to prove their worth on an international stage, the dreams of young children who want to become something greater, the dreams of entire countries to show off their national pride. The Olympics are a way to connect the entire world and showcase inhuman acts of strength, courage, perseverance, and athleticism. Athletes congregate in a single city to represent their country proudly, to show off the talents they’ve worked their entire lives to hone. Veterans return to compete once more.
The Olympics represent the dreams we reach for. The top stage everyone yearns for. The gold medal of accomplishment we all desire.
Sure, the Olympics are expensive, complex, and a statistical nightmare (even more so when postponements and cancellations like this happen), but the extra training, the months of preparation, and the massive amount of funds needed are all worth the experience that the Olympics provides.
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