The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

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International Olympic Committee postpones Tokyo 2020

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Japan, sporting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic banner. (user:Ftaaffe / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The International Olympics Committee (IOC) declared the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Games late March in response to the Covid-19, the disease that has swept the world into regulated chaos. This decision was made after a rapid growth in cases, as well as a public outcry from athletes around the world. The Games will now be held a year later under the same name, commencing August 8, 2021.

“Honestly I think that what has been done needs to be done. Because ultimately we don’t want to put at risk all these stellar athletes and then compromise their immune systems just for the sake of another gold medal or another world record to be broken,” said Chloe Chan, freshman.

The beat ‘safety comes first’, has been prominent among many responses. Thousands of people volunteer to make the Olympic and Paralympic games happen in a safe and coherent manner; keeping that number of people within the recommended safety guidelines would be near impossible. Final touches and maintenance will keep the Olympic Village and various competition venues in commision until the Games are held.

For some, the revised schedule was added proof to the changing world. The Games in its current form have been cancelled thrice for world wars, but never postponed.

 “I never really thought it was that big of a deal until they postponed the Olympics because I don’t remember the  last time or if it’s ever been done before. I know we’ve boycotted the Olympics before but it’s so strange to me that the entire world has agreed to postpone something that we all come together to do,” said Mimi Holland, junior.

The sports world has largely been put on halt, with many athletes around the world losing access to training facilities. Many athletes are staying positive, taking this time to continue improving in their sport and making the best of a bad situation.

“Postponing the games gives a chance to all of the athletes to be successful and be in their best conditions. This year it will allow all of the athletes to have an extra year to work on technique, strength, and more,” said Elizabeth Pegram, freshman.

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