Olympic Logo (NBC Olympics 2021)
By: Sofia Ranieri
Recently, Tokyo entered a state of emergency with the country on its fifth wave of COVID-19, and only 15% of the Japanese public is fully vaccinated. Along with this, prominent athletes such as Serena Williams, Rafa Nadal, and Dominic Thiem are not participating in the Olympics this year. With all this stacked against the Games, the question remains: why aren’t the Tokyo Olympics canceled?
One of the main reasons is money. Japan has already invested $15 billion in the Olympics so canceling the Games would be a huge waste of money. In addition, the International Olympics Committee would have to pay $4 billion in television rights income to different network companies if the Olympics do not occur, and $1.25 billion has been used to nationally advertise for the Tokyo Olympics.
The Tokyo Olympics is also a chance for the Japanese government to show other countries that they have recovered from the 2011 earthquake, which was one of the deadliest disasters in Japanese history. The earthquake caused a tsunami and over 450 000 people became homeless. The death toll was about 15 500. In addition, Japan’s prime minister will lose favorability from the public if the Games are canceled. This is important because elections take place in September.
Tokyo (The Greek Hearald 2021)
However, it’s also important to keep athletes’ perspectives in mind as well. René Cournoyer, an artistic gymnast is competing in the Tokyo Olympics and said in a virtual interview with the View From Here that “everything is organised and designed to be extremely safe!” The athletes wear masks, get tested daily and are not allowed contact with Japanese residents or places of business such as the grocery store. These restrictions are aiming to prevent the increase of Japan’s COVID-19 cases. Although spectators will not be in the stands this year, Shallon Olsen, a gymnast competing in the Games this year, stated that this will not affect her. While some people may believe that postponing the Tokyo Olympics would not be beneficial for athletes, this actually helped competitors such as Rose Woo heal after getting injured in 2020, who told the View From Here, “It allowed me to rest and reset my body, and I’ve actually never felt so strong before.”
Although there are so many different reasons why the Tokyo Olympics should be canceled, there are also important reasons for why it is still taking place. A lot of time, effort, and money was put into making these Games happen and many precautions are being taken to ensure that the Olympics do not affect Japan’s COVID-19 numbers. In addition, the Games are important for the athletes that have spent so much time training for this event. Ultimately, the Tokyo Olympics will take place this year and plenty has been done to ensure it is a safe and enjoyable event for everyone.
Works Cited
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Cunningham, Patrick. Tokyo Olympics 2020, new sports added. TOKYO (KETK) – With the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo exactly one year away, the countdown is officially on until the opening ceremonies begin. 22 July 2019, https://www.wwlp.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-new-sports-added/. Accessed 15 July 2021. Image.
Draper, Kevin, et al. “Why Are the Tokyo Olympics Still Happening? These Numbers Explain It.” The New York TImes, 21 June 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/21/sports/olympics/tokyo-olympics-happening-why.html. Accessed 13 July 2021.
The Greek Herald. First Olympic Agora to be held in Tokyo for 2020 Olympics. Tokyo will host the first-ever Olympic Agora in the Japanese capital’s Nihonbashi district to celebrate this year’s Olympic Games. 31 January 2021. The Greek Herald, https://greekherald.com.au/post/first-olympic-agora-to-be-held-in-tokyo-for-2020-olympics/. Accessed 15 July 2021. Picture.
National Geographic. “Mar 11, 2011 CE: Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.” National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/mar11/tohoku-earthquake-and-tsunami/. Accessed 13 July 2021.
Rafferty, John P. “Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011.” Britannica, 4 March 2021, https://www.britannica.com/event/Japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-of-2011/Aftermath-of-the-disaster. Accessed 13 July 2021.