At a time where much of the world is still reeling with the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, with tragedy striking several countries of the world nearly every single day, how can one go ahead with such an enormous and prestigious sporting event as the Olympics, is the big question.
And truth be told, not an awful lot of time remains for the Tokyo Olympics to go ahead. This time, they are Japan-bound, with the ‘Land Of The Rising Sun’ anticipating what could perhaps be called a mixed-bag reaction to a truly magnanimous sporting event of the world.
As a matter of fact, the Tokyo Olympics are due to begin July 23, 2021 and doing simple math suggests that the Tokyo Olympics are just a little over ten weeks ahead in the day.
That’s not a very long duration of time and during this period, one can’t even say if things will or could drastically improve for the better- or can one say with any amount of certainty?
That being said, the general public holds a contrary view to events that are otherwise marked with splendid sporting achievement, including- long distance running, swimming, Chess, Cycling, Golf, Weightlifting, Archery.
Many are of the view that either the games should be simply cancelled or if not, then pushed back even further. That being said, amid such time with the Tokyo Olympics just knocking on our doors, there comes a response from one of the most famous and celebrated of all Japanese corporations- Rakuten.
The Rakuten CEO says that holding the Tokyo Olympics will be nothing short of a ‘suicide mission.’ A very interesting take that- right? Though, truth be told, his view cannot be countered as such for the simple fact that Japan will observe, should the games go ahead, participants from around the world. Amid a massive gathering, even if it comprises of individuals sporting outstanding fitness levels, there’s always a chance of witnessing infections that could, for the lack of better expression, spiral into creating havoc.
Can any country in the world, in the face of the dreadful pandemic, afford such a scenario?
That being said, what was the original reaction of Rakuten CEO?
Well, here is what you need to know. Mr. Hiroshi Mikitani had the following response, stating in no uncertain terms, “It’s dangerous to host the big international event from all over the world.”
Furthermore, he would add, “So, the risk is too big and… I’m against having the Tokyo Olympics this year.”
Meanwhile, NDTV in its reporting of the story shared some interesting updates pertaining to the mighty Asian nation:
On Friday, Japan extended a coronavirus state of emergency as the nation is battling a fourth wave of virus infections.
The surge has put pressure on the country’s healthcare system, with medical professionals repeatedly warning about shortages and burnout.
With just over 10 weeks until the Games open on July 23, public opinion remains opposed, with most favouring a further delay or cancellation.
On Friday, a petition to cancel the Tokyo Olympics with more than 351,000 signatures was submitted to the city’s governor.
All of that said, perhaps never a bette time to assess as to what is really important- the human life and its safety or a sporting extravaganza steeped in rich history and tradition. Truly speaking, the world will not come to a halt if there were no Olympic games.