What promised to be an exciting Olympic year, 2020 has turned out to be anything but that.
Every sporting competition has been put on hold, thanks to the global pandemic. Tokyo Olympics have already been pushed back by a whole year to 23rd of July 2021, but other sports have yet to give up on the current year! It takes a brave heart to still hope for sports in such troubling times, especially when the mere thought of packed stands leads to nightmare scenarios.
Following the IOC, tennis was the first to reschedule even as Wimbledon chose to cancel 2020 altogether. Golf hopes for a June resumption of the pro tour! So does Formula One as well as several football leagues around the world.
Why?
Its all about sponsor commitments which appears to put money before safety of both players and spectators! But is any sponsor in a position to cough up good money in these trying times when economy has tanked with little signs of recovery?
Brave decisions need to be taken and quickly at that to remove the uncertainty! Preparations for Tokyo Olympics have already been rescheduled but will the quadrennial games go on even as per the revised time-table? And there is already argument over who will foot the bill for the delay!
It may just be the right move to cancel the Tokyo Games altogether, much like the gap years due to the two wars. And move all hosts back by four years each so that none is denied!
Every sporting competition has been put on hold, thanks to the global pandemic. Tokyo Olympics have already been pushed back by a whole year to 23rd of July 2021, but other sports have yet to give up on the current year! It takes a brave heart to still hope for sports in such troubling times, especially when the mere thought of packed stands leads to nightmare scenarios.
Following the IOC, tennis was the first to reschedule even as Wimbledon chose to cancel 2020 altogether. Golf hopes for a June resumption of the pro tour! So does Formula One as well as several football leagues around the world.
Why?
Its all about sponsor commitments which appears to put money before safety of both players and spectators! But is any sponsor in a position to cough up good money in these trying times when economy has tanked with little signs of recovery?
Brave decisions need to be taken and quickly at that to remove the uncertainty! Preparations for Tokyo Olympics have already been rescheduled but will the quadrennial games go on even as per the revised time-table? And there is already argument over who will foot the bill for the delay!
It may just be the right move to cancel the Tokyo Games altogether, much like the gap years due to the two wars. And move all hosts back by four years each so that none is denied!
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