The Olympic Games are now a daily story. With a growing opposition from locals in light of a 4th wave of Covid-19 and an estimated 12 billion dollars invested by the Japanese government, the stakes are high. As thousands of athletes, judges, officials and media plan their trip to Japan, the world is watching what will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable Olympics unfold. With photos of the Olympic village recently emerging and the games fast approaching, the uncertainty around the games being held is slowly diminishing.
We learned that to date, the only other time the Olympic Games have been cancelled has been due to the two World Wars, further adding pressure to the Japanese government. During this unprecedented time, athletes have been training in varying circumstances making some question whether this will be taken into account when measuring their successes. How will this past year affect the performances of athletes? Which athlete is Cathal most looking forward to watching compete? Is there a risk to the International Olympic Committee if the Olympic Games don’t go smoothly?
Tamara Khandaker, host of The Globe and Mail’s The Decibel, and sports columnist CathalKelly discussed the latest developments surrounding the Olympic Games and answered some of your burning questions.