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In 1940, Tokyo was due to host the 12th Olympiad but had to pull out two years beforehand due the second Sino-Japanese war. That the Japanese capital did not cancel the 2020 Olympics in the midst of yet another global crisis is some story. Japan had declared a state of national emergency, and even a few days before the games cancellation was still a possibility.
The 17 days are over of what must be the most extraordinary and most challenging games in the 125-year history of the modern Olympics.
Hosting the games in the midst of a pandemic of this scale is a considerable feat, but I am not sure that Tokyo, the Japanese people and the organizers will get the credit they deserve, or that most people will appreciate just how challenging the event was for the athletes, coaches and teams.
Gold medals should be dished out to those responsible. A shout-out must also go to the health officials who held the ravages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at bay, keeping the athletes and their teams isolated as well as the wider public safe. On top of all of this, it was the hottest games in Olympic history, a record that may well be broken as the effects of climate change hit even harder in years to come.
In the circumstances, the games were almost flawless, providing a welcome balm and distraction for TV viewers globally. For once, the pandemic was not the automatic top news headline every day. Certainly there were the usual moans and groans, but overall Tokyo delivered, with few of the blunders or scandals of previous games. No North Korean team had to endure the ignominy of being introduced under the banner of the South Korean flag as happened in 2012. American swimmers did not vandalize a gas station as happened in Rio in 2016. Atlanta in 1996 suffered from major traffic issues to the extent that athletes were unable to reach their venues on time.
Japanese public opinion was largely skeptical about the games, with many opposed to holding the event this year. Before the opening ceremony two-thirds of the Japanese people did not believe the authorities could keep the country safe from a further coronavirus surge, not least since Japan has managed to vaccinate only about 20 percent of the population. However, as the games wore on, public opinion grew more positive.
But how will Japanese react when the true costs become clear? These games cost more than twice as much to host as initially planned, a massive $15 billion. The reality is that for most host cities, the Olympics present an economic loss. For Japan, the economic pain will come on top of the impact of the pandemic. Much of the expense was due to additional measures, cancellation costs and, of course, the lack of spectators. But there will be no positive knock-on benefits that Japan had hoped for, particularly no boost in tourism. The land of the rising sun failed to get the sort of promotional hit that normally comes with an Olympics.
Politics, as ever, made an appearance. The Olympics have always attracted political gestures and boycotts, notably in 1980 and 1984. South Africa was banned from the games for apartheid from 1964 to 1992. At its worst there was the 1972 Munich games massacre of Israeli athletes. This time the main story was Belarussian sprinter Krystina Tsimanouskaya, who successfully sought asylum via Poland, a reminder of the Cold War era when athletes often defected. But, overall, the political battles were fewer than in the past.
Where drugs had plagued previous Olympics, notably Beijing in 2008 and Ben Johnson’s 100 meters scandal in 1988, this time the dominant issue for many athletes was mental health. While cynics and critics are lining up to accuse athletes of a lack of resilience, the impact of A-List stars such as Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka opening up about their issues will go way beyond sports.
Athletes deserve higher praise than usual. Many had to adapt their training to cope with lockdowns and restrictions. They were never sure if the games would go ahead or if they would get COVID-19 at the last minute. The stress was off the charts.
Yet, like the organizers, the athletes delivered. The focus will always be on the extraordinary gold medal victories and world records. The stand-out athletics event was the 400 meters hurdles. Karsten Warholm beat his own world record by a jaw-dropping 0.76 seconds. Sydney McLaughlin smashed the women’s record as well.
The Tokyo Olympics have delivered a much-needed boost to global morale. It truly did show that we are stronger together.
Chris Doyle
Jamaican sprinters continued to dazzle. Allyson Felix became the most decorated female track and field athlete in Olympic history with 11 medals, with Emma McKeon becoming the first woman swimmer to win seven medals at a single games. But perhaps the standout moment of sportsmanship was when Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi agreed to share their high jump gold medal.
One could pick out many more stellar performances. Yet the true Olympic spirit was to be found among those who sacrificed everything just to be there, who had no chance of everlasting fame and glory but sought pride in just being an Olympian.
For the second time, the Olympics had a refugee team originating from 11 countries, including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and South Sudan, but representing millions around the world compelled to flee their countries.
Sifan Hassan fled Ethiopia aged only 16 but produced one of the best performances of the games, winning the 5,000 and 10,000 meters double, as well as a bronze in the 1,500 meters. Think also of the first-ever Palestinian weightlifter at an Olympics, Mohammed Hamada, who had to leave the rubble of bombed-out Gaza a few weeks before the games.
The Tokyo Olympics have delivered a much-needed boost to global morale. Paris will have a job to follow that in 2024. The Olympic spirit soared. It truly did show that we are stronger together.
- Chris Doyle is director of the London-based Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU). Twitter: @Doylech