Good Luck Tokyo

With exactly six months to go for the postponed Tokyo Olympics to start on July 23, there are mixed feelings in the global sporting fraternity.

At a time when Europe, Britain and USA are still battling Corona virus and Covid-19 cases, Asia has shown sharp improvement. In India, there is optimism in the air what with the vaccine now launched and frontline workers now receiving their first shots.

Very soon, the elite athletes, coaches and support staff who will be part of the Tokyo Olympics will also be taking the vaccine jabs. At least, as of now, the Indian elite athletes are keen to go ahead and follow the vaccine protocol.

It would not be an exaggeration to state that very soon unless one takes the vaccine, international travel will become next to impossible. Rohan Bopanna, India’s doubles tennis ace, now in quarantine in Melbourne for the Australian Open, has indicated he will definitely take the jabs.

Athletes are preparing in right earnest for the Summer Games even as some media speculation continues to cast doubts on whether Japan will hold the Olympics. There is little chance of postponement and the top guns of the International Olympic Committee, president Thomas Bach and Coordination Commission boss John Coates, have assured the sporting world the Games are on.

A media report in UK recently came out with a story without naming sources how the Tokyo Olympics will not happen. The IOC has rubbished it. There are six months to go and in this period the world is hoping the situation improves drastically.

From tennis to Formula One and badminton events in Thailand, sporting activity is on. Cricket is in full bloom with India sweeping the series against Australia and now set to host England in India.

According to people connected with global sport at the highest level, the new normal for the  Olympics will also be tight control over the Games. Athletes will be brought in from various countries in batches, opening and closing ceremonies may be much different  and shorter in duration.

Spectators may not get the same access to venues and the Tokyo Olympics could  become like a TV sport. There will be strict testing and protocols, at least that is the plan now.

So, in such times, do athletes and all those connected with the Olympics worry about the Games cancellation or continue their preparation. In India, preparations have begun and athletes have started their overseas tours as well.

To be sure, none wants the Games cancelled. Agreed, the Olympics  involves almost 10,000 athletes and managing them will be immensely challenging. However, the sporting world at large, the IOC and host city are hoping they can pull it off this July. Not just the regular Olympics, even the Paralympics athletes are praying they get a chance to showcase their skills.

It is not the host city alone which is spending dollars in billions, all the participating nations have also been splurging huge volumes of money to prepare their athletes. The Olympics is a sporting business in itself and cancellation will mean very hard financial losses which will break the economy of the host nation and hearts of the finest athletes.

In 2022, we have the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. All of a sudden, it appears sports is racing. So, why think of Olympics cancellation. Each sports lover needs the biggest spectacle to take place in Tokyo. Good luck Tokyo.