Tokyo Olympics officially postponed
In news that surprises no-one, overnight the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially postponed the Tokyo Olympics for one year - Tokyo 2020 will now become Tokyo 2021.
Despite Japan's bullish stance, and despite dithering from the IOC, the peak body had its hand forced when on Monday Team Canada pulled out of the Games.
It was unethical, it said, for athletes to be burdened with the pressure of training for the Games when something much bigger was at stake.
"This is not solely about athlete health — it is about public health," the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees jointly wrote in a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach.
"The two committees are calling on the International Olympic Committee to postpone the Games for a year, citing the safety of athletes and the general public amid the COVID-19 pandemic."
Almost immediately after the Canadian's letter was made public, Australia's Olympic Committee issued a similar statement saying it had instructed their athletes to "prepare for the Games being delayed by a year".
Team Great Britain joined in. New Zealand followed. Then, crucially, the Americans added their weight.
Shidashita Beach, surfing site for the postponed Games
The postponemment is expected to cause little disruption in surfing. Unlike many other Olympic sports, surfing doesn't have annual or bi-annual World Championships that are scheduled to fit between succesive Games.
The twelve-month delay is expected to cost Japan about $US6 billion ($10 billion), according to one Japanese economics professor, the only upside being it would cost more to cancel the games altogether.
Tokyo organisers have already spent between $US12 billion ($20 billion) and $US26 billion ($44 billion), depending on which report you believe.
Comments
Farking waste of money to begin with. Outdated, outmoded 3 week celebration of what? Japan could have spent that money on roads, hospitals, public housing, crumbling schools. Despite what people think, the real Japan aint all Fuji-san postcards and cherry blossoms. For the most part, especially the coast, Japan is ugly.
As an aside, my best mate was playing golf with the CFO of the AOC two weeks ago- the decision was already made then. The only thing that wasn't decided was full cancellation as opposed to postponement.
"For the most part, especially the coast, Japan is ugly"
Couldn't agree more. The area where I live has been fortified against nature by slathering everything with concrete. The coastline is lined with tetrapods and the mountains concreted over. It is almost impossible to take an attractive panorama photo.
Meanwhile my son's school's building is about 70 years old and has inadequately lit classrooms. The science lab is under-equipped and with only a handful of computers for the entire student population, the idea of teaching computer literacy is laughable.
There must have been something better on which to spend the $US12 plus billion.
Surfing in the olympics ridiculous.
Where do you guys in Japan live? I lived in Japan for 7 years, love the place, and usually go back once a year...but not this year sadly.
I live in northern Ibaraki. (Hitachi city).
Bit further south - Shizuoka Prefecture. On the sunny side of Mt Fuji.
2020 Olympic Qualifying cycle is soon obsolete...2021 Olympic Cycle may change!
Gonna be interesting if a redraft allows for a 3rd training partner on Teams..etc.
Could be an Olympic coaching contract may not be so watertight after 2020 (end)
This could get messy...better get a lawyer son...Yes! Kelly now has more options!
TBB are you suggesting this whole Corona thing has been orchestrated by the GOAT to create a loophole for Olympic qualification!??
tbb was kinda hoping a crewmate would blindly step in the doo-doo...here's the mop!
It is believed the Athlete Qualification is earned as opposed to Team contracts.
End of 2020 Games Contract (End of Cycle is a 'Traditional Shaking out Period')
http://www.worldrowing.com/news/post-olympic-coaching-merry-round
Coaching Positions will be renegotiated at the end of 'contracted' 2020 Cycle.
Many coaches will lose their jobs without competing...contracts have end dates.
tbb doubts Coaches can inherit or earn 1 year extensions as athlete entitlement.
US Coach is equally fit to retain his Olympic Contract...(tbb is unsure of Poobahs!)
There is no two ways about it...Kelly is hot fav for US Surf Team Coach..
Most would argue this is the Ultimate Olympic Role for Kelly + he wins a 'medal'.
Yes! Kelly knew that if he went around again the Olympic door would surely open!
Coronavirus link?
Kelly dodges NZ/OZ Corona > OZ/US redo Tokyo so Kelly can join Team USA 2021
You see, you can't say any of that is suss! Everyone, always does shit like that...Wot!
hahaha. Gold mate
swellnet exclusive...
[ IMPORTANT ] Tokyo is postponed but no 2021 date is locked in.
Yet without any Olympic influence Tokyo Coaching Contracts are being torn up.
Confirmed! No longer speculation..2021 Olympics requires new Coaching Contracts.
Olympic Coaching Contracts are already being expired from 2020 games end date.
The contractual expiry process must be seen to take it's course.(No IOC corruption)
[ Exhibit A ] (Tokyo Coaching Contract Renewals by Federations)
https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/stories/news/detail/sports-authority-i...
[ Exhibit B ] (Tokyo Coaching Contract Expired by Federation)
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1092530/iran-volleyball-head-coa...
To date no response or legal action ensues...no compo either! (No coach is safe!)
tbb thinks a test case will arise...but can't be retrospective on new Signed Contracts.
Traditional contracts expire in said 4 year cycle (above) Time is of the essence.
New Coaches will argue their time & right to bid as in keeping with Olympic ideal.
In fact no Olympic Cycle has been disrupted as France keeps it's deadline.
Surf Federation can Extend/Expire + Kelly is equally entitled to bid for Olympic Coach
Current Coaches will likely launch a hardship / illness defence.
Could be that IOC settles out of court with compo gesture.
Official : Kelly can fairly bid to coach Team USA Tokyo Olympics...all above board.
(Pause!) Assuming US Coaching contract runs on a typical 4 year Olympic Cycle.
Given that all ISA / IOC / WSL terms & conditions are welded onto 2020...then yep!
PS: As with all Corona makeshift policy...Olympics or Politics may intervene.
After believing Japan was some sort of anomaly in terms of low rates of Chinese flu growth and few deaths, since the announcement of the postponed Olympics, Japan and especially Tokyo are seing new record new numbers of virus cases being broken daily.
My wife refuses to believe the Japanese government (Abe) and the Tokyo government (Koike) are complicit in keeping the reported numbers artificially low. I think she's being naive.
Further, the Japanese are just oblivious to social distancing- schools are still closed, events and gatherings cancelled but restaurants, pachinko parlours, cherry blossom viewing, karaoke- pumping.
Here at home we're minimising our contact with others as much as possible while it seems like the rest of Japan is sleepwalking towards the inevitable.
Morons!
Hey Zen , I'm down in Osaka and it's the same here.Numbers have been down because there has been very little testing but of course that means there are many people walking around with the virus. Shimura Ken , famous comedian , has just died from the virus so I think people will start to take things a bit more seriously .I thought things had finally sunk in yesterday with very few people on the streets but at dinner time the restaurants and streets were packed in my area.
I love the name of that beach in the photo.
'Shi-dash-ta', I know, I know but approach it with a literal Aussie pronunciation...
What are the chances the rescheduled Olympics will be cancelled too?
“Recent surveys have revealed just over 80 per cent of Tokyo residents do not want the Games to go ahead this year.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-17/covid-19-tokyo-olympics-ioc-encour...
Pretty slim I reckon Ben. We with current minimal impacts of Covid here, we appear to be struggling to organise 1,200 crew for a tennis tournament, how they plan to manage the many more thousands for the olympics, boggles the mind. Maybe they should do what they are for the triple crown ... send in vids of your two best results in your qualified event, but from where ever you are, wont happen though.