It’s rather sad that this had to happen. I was really looking forward to Tokyo back in early 2020 before COVID was on anyone’s radar.
They were well placed to make it a huge success compared to the controversial 2016 games in Rio.
In hindsight the Tokyo Olympics should have been postponed to 2022 - then they would have been able to hold a really nice games.
Part of the appeal of the Olympics is the party atmosphere that accompanies it, and with mandated social distancing and athletes flying in and flying out…it will be quite underwhelming.
Worth noting, if that had happened (and assuming the dates remained the same), it would’ve clashed with the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which starts in late July and ends in early August.
Say hypothetically if Tokyo 2021 was postponed, and 2022 had to be ruled out due to a schedule clash (or even just being held in the same year as the Comm Games), then I reckon the idea of the Tokyo games would’ve been scrapped altogether. Holding it in 2023 would be too close to Paris 2024.
Agreed. The Commonwealth Games are already struggling for relevancy as it is, having to delay/cancel Birmingham 2022 would probably be the death knell for that movement.
I’ve had it described to me as a “let’s get it out of the way” Games by someone in the broadcast production side. It’s being held to fulfil broadcaster obligations and keeping those sweet NBC payments coming through. The Olympics would struggle to survive without it. The IOC’s top brass know it shouldn’t be being held right now. They absolute know it. But they are looking at it from a purely business sense and keeping the Games going into the future.
Disagree actually - don’t think they’ve got a host for 2026 yet so pushing Birmingham back 4 years wouldn’t have been the worst option.
I’ve said ever since the games were first postponed they should have pushed Tokyo to 2022, especially as one of the first things the IOC did when the pandemic struck was cancel the 2022 Youth Olympics. It made so much sense - gave them an extra years clearance and crucially meant sports would continue with their own World Championships in 2021 on a smaller, safer, scale - and take the burden of any cancellation and lost crowds.
The Winter Olympics remaining in 2022 wouldn’t have been an issue - just be six months ahead rather than six months after the rescheduled dates. However pushing them back to 2024 wouldn’t be such a disaster for the IOC as it would give them a centenial games for the Winter Olympics, which began in 1924.
On Wed 21 Jul 4:00pm - 6:00pm, Channel 7 Brisbane (unsure about other states)
Live, exclusive coverage of Queensland’s final bid to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2032 Olympics. Includes a pitch by the Qld Premier and Prime Minister.
