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Olympics Threatened To Be Cancelled

  • February 17,2021 ​

Natalie Gallardo

The Summer Olympics are one of the most anticipated events that occur once every four years and are in danger of being canceled. The Olympics were supposed to be held in the Summer of 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Japanese government decided to postpone it to the Summer of 2021. In January, rumors emerged that the Japanese government has decided to cancel the Olympics altogether, but no official statement has been released.

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Photo obtained from Shutterstock

In the case the Japanese Government cancels the Olympics, the next time, they will take place in 2024, somewhere in Paris. Japan will lose their turn in hosting the Olympics and will have to wait several years before they can host them again.

Many athletes and fans from all over the world anticipate the Olympics for various reasons. For athletes, the Olympics may be a goal or dream they wish to achieve someday. For fans, the Olympics provides entertainment since many of their favorite athletes play and represent their country.

Therefore, many are torn whether or not the Olympics should take place as initially planned. "I feel like the Olympics should not be canceled, but I do feel like it should only be the athletes that meet, and they should be checked before meeting up for the sport. An audience should be on the TV, not live." explained a Sophomore from Gahr who regularly watches the Olympics and wishes to stay anonymous.

Although some agree, others believe the Olympics should be canceled. According to the Japan Times, "But Japanese public opinion appears opposed to holding the games this year, with 80% of people backing either further postponement or a cancellation in surveys."

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As Japan continues to be in a state of emergency due to coronavirus, many are worried about the safety precautions the Olympics will have to ensure safety. If the Olympics were to happen as planned, the ceremonies and events would be different to protect the athletes. There may even be a chance that there will be no live audience and only the athletes' teams or families attending. 

Photo obtained from The Japanese Olympic Committee

Kimberly Rodríguez is a student who regularly watches the Olympics and feels that the crowd adds a sense of motivation to the athletes. She goes on to say, "I do think they [the Olympics] would be different from other years because it will be weird not to see a crowd cheering the athletes on. Not having that sense of a live audience seems out of the ordinary." 

Even if there is a split between whether or not the Olympics should go on, everyone agrees on one thing; to make sure the athletes are safe. A student-athlete who wishes to stay anonymous describes, "I think it would be nice if they [the Olympics] still take place in the summer for entertainment reasons at home, and if it does to make sure the players are safe during this time." 

There is still no official statement regarding the cancellation of the Olympics, and all athletes are still training like normal. With the Olympics only 170 days away, time is running out, and a decision needs to be made.

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Citizens walk by the Olympic rings, photo obtained by AP Photo/Koji Sasahara

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