Tokyo Olympics: Opening of the Olympic Games in exceptional circumstances

With an extra year of training, more than 11,300 athletes from 207 countries will compete over the next two weeks, looking for hard-earned medals.

When the Games were postponed the previous year, organizers said the Olympic torch “could become a light at the end of the tunnel”. Although the epidemic is still present in our lives, the journey through this metaphorical tunnel is still ongoing. But the opening ceremony of the session gives a glimmer of hope.

Ahead of the Opening Ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “I think it will be a moment of euphoria and relief when we enter the stadium, a moment of euphoria especially for the players, because I know how long they are waiting for this moment. They can now enjoy the moment in special circumstances. “

Olympics during an epidemic

With face masks, self-isolation, and saliva testing, it’s an Olympics unlike any of its predecessors.

While Tokyo is in a state of emergency for the duration of the Olympics, due to the high number of COVID-19 cases, the Games have come under heavy criticism from the Japanese public, most of whom have demanded that they be canceled. or postponed again.

But the organizers attach great importance to security measures, as many precautions are taken, including the conduct of competitions behind closed doors, as fans from Japan or abroad are not allowed to enter the facilities that host them. .

For athletes, they are also subject to severe restrictions. They must wear face masks at all times, except during meals, drinks, training, competitions and sleep. They should also adhere to the minimum level of contact with others, in addition to being tested daily to make sure they are not infected with the Corona virus.

But the virus has already affected the Games, even before they officially start.

On Friday, 19 new cases were recorded, bringing the number of games-related cases to 106. And 11 injuries were recorded among athletes in Tokyo.

And of the players who were asked to stay in their rooms, six from the UK mission due to contact with someone on the plane who was subsequently diagnosed with the virus.

American tennis player Coco Gauff was forced to withdraw from her first Olympic Games, after testing positive for the virus, before arriving in Tokyo. Three athletes withdrew from the British mission for the same reason.

An unprecedented 339 competitions are taking place in 33 sports, including 5 new sports, and 34 new sports competitions in total. The Tokyo 2020 Games are also seeing an unprecedented increase in female participation, with 48.8 of the participating athletes being women.

The new sporting categories this year are skateboarding, karate, baseball / softball and surfing.

Baseball and softball aren’t exactly new, but since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, no Games have seen them face off.

These sports were added to the Games with the aim of attracting a younger audience and reflecting urban sporting trends.

“We want to bring sport to young people. With the many options available to young people, we can no longer expect them to come automatically. We have to reach out to them.”

These Games show an interest in the preservation of the environment. The medals were made from recycled cell phones, while the Olympic torch was made from scrap aluminum from the construction of temporary homes after an earthquake in eastern Japan in 2011.

Only 8 new competition venues have been built, while most of the electricity used in the games comes from renewable energy sources.

The total cost of the Games will be £ 11.5 billion, and costs have increased by 22% due to the forced one-year postponement.