postpone summer olympics update on post #18

[jdb in AZ]

If you were an olympic athlete would you want the games postponed a year?

https://nypost.com/2020/03/21/the-push-to-postpone-olympics-just-got-serious/

 

[a1tinkfans]

Such a difficult situation for Japan and the Olympians. Whatever they decide..-and I think it should be delayed, though not sure a whole year, safety first.
Stay In, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy All.

 

[Diznygrl]

I've been looking so forward to the Olympics so this makes me pretty sad. I don't like the thought of going another whole year but at the same time I don't think late July is looking feasible at this point. I would say maybe postpone it til September or early October. It will be a logistical nightmare no matter what they decide. My heart goes out to Japan and all of the athletes.

 

[mantysk8coach]

I haven’t looked into this a ton so I might be way off...but even if they were to pull off the Olympics in July, shouldn’t all the Olympic trials that qualify athletes be happening now-early summer? If THOSE aren’t able to happen how can the Olympics happen, you know?

 

[BMB777]

Late July is still a fairly long way off. I don't see the need to cancel right now, give it till the end of April to see how things look.

 

[Minniesgal]

It should be postponed

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Originally I had the wait-and-see attitude. Put off a decision until early June. But now I believe the Olympics should definitely be postponed and the IOC should announce it within days. Athletes are finding it difficult or even impossible to train.

 

[HeatherC]

I just don’t see how it may even be possible to hold them as originally planned. This thing has to run its course which could take many months. Countries are under travel bans, etc..

I just don’t see July as a possibility at this point.

 

[pryncess527]

I haven’t looked into this a ton so I might be way off...but even if they were to pull off the Olympics in July, shouldn’t all the Olympic trials that qualify athletes be happening now-early summer? If THOSE aren’t able to happen how can the Olympics happen, you know?

The trials are just how some countries determine who gets to go, but they aren’t required part of the process. At least as I understand it. The American Olympic committee could just randomly pick athletes they think will win with no trials if the trials can’t go forward but Olympics do.

They will likely postpone, but I do not blame them for fighting as long as they can to make such a difficult choice.

 

[Searc]

Athletes aren't able to train because their training facilities are closed. It isn't like they are there only a few days a week for an hour.

The Games need to be postponed.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I remember when we boycotted the Olympics. I has a personal friend who was going to box that year - he had won Gold in the Pan Am games and was expected to win gold at the Olympics. He was crushed. But the reality - some things are more important than sports.

We need to continue to spread out the cost of training for summer and winter olympics, so there is no good answer for the poorer countries.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm sure they'll get to that decision. It's a big decision and sometimes people just need time to adjust their thinking. It will be more readily accepted if they give everyone a little time to adjust first.

 

[SirDuff]

Late July is still a fairly long way off. I don't see the need to cancel right now, give it till the end of April to see how things look.

The thing is that things may be back to normal by July (e.g. no travel restrictions and it is safe to have that many people crowded together); but, things are not normal now. Athletes cannot train properly. In some/many cases, qualifiers have not yet been done and cannot be done.

The trials are just how some countries determine who gets to go, but they aren’t required part of the process. At least as I understand it. The American Olympic committee could just randomly pick athletes they think will win with no trials if the trials can’t go forward but Olympics do.

Not fully true. There are minimum standards that need to be met (sometimes waived for very under representend countries/regions). This is both for the individual (you may be the best/second best in your country, but if you don't mean the standards, you still do not qualify for the Olympics) and for countries (certain qualifying events will determine how many athletes a country can send for a given event - though the athletes at the qualifying event are not, necessarily, the athletes that will be sent).

 

[HeatherC]

The thing is that things may be back to normal by July (e.g. no travel restrictions and it is safe to have that many people crowded together); but, things are not normal now. Athletes cannot train properly. In some/many cases, qualifiers have not yet been done and cannot be done.



Not fully true. There are minimum standards that need to be met (sometimes waived for very under representend countries/regions). This is both for the individual (you may be the best/second best in your country, but if you don't mean the standards, you still do not qualify for the Olympics) and for countries (certain qualifying events will determine how many athletes a country can send for a given event - though the athletes at the qualifying event are not, necessarily, the athletes that will be sent).

I so hope you are right and things are back to normal by then. But based on what it sounds like this may continue for much longer. Let’s pray it doesn’t!

 

[SirDuff]

I so hope you are right and things are back to normal by then. But based on what it sounds like this may continue for much longer. Let’s pray it doesn’t!

Oh, I'm not saying that things will be normal. I meant that even if things are back to normal by then, that doesn't mean that the Olympics could still be held then (or that the decision can be put off until nearer the time).

 

[AppleDumpling]

I think it’s inevitable that they’ll be postponed or cancelled. I feel sorry for the athletes, just as I do for all the high school and college seniors, many who will not have a graduation ceremony, and so many others who will miss important life events. Unfortunately, it’s a moment in time they can never get back. However, in a worldwide crisis, clearly the health and safety of all must take precedence.

But the reality - some things are more important than sports.

Yes. This says it all.

 

[Colleen27]

I think there's a reluctance to make the decision because cancellation is likely to be the ultimate outcome and no one wants to admit that yet. But I do think it is inevitable. There's no way the games can go on with any real integrity as scheduled, given the disruption to qualifying events and athletes' training.

 

[jdb in AZ]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mo...ne-2020-tokyo-olympics/ar-BB11xXkY?li=BBnbfcL
Looks like the IOC will decide in the next four weeks.

 

[morgan98]

I see the update, but why waste energy on this? I like watching the Olympics and find the games to be truly inspirational. However, with what is going on in the world right now, no way, no how are athletes from all these countries going to convene in Toyko in the third week of July.

In the US we are at the start of this, honestly. I cannot see international travel to Asia or Europe being restored to normal by then. Also there seems to be a bit of controversy around the possibility that Japan is understating the number of cases they have.

 

[Searc]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mo...ne-2020-tokyo-olympics/ar-BB11xXkY?li=BBnbfcL
Looks like the IOC will decide in the next four weeks.

The IOC has said all along they'd make a decision by May.