[2021.03.22.Mon]CNN 10 - Major Olympic Announcement

A new restriction on the upcoming to Tokyo Summer Olympics. That`s where we start the week here on CNN 10.
I am Carl Azuz. Thank you for watching.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of problems for these games. They`re still called Tokyo 2020 Olympics but while they were originally scheduled to start on July 24th of last year. They`ve been postponed until July 23rd of this summer With the paralympics scheduled to begin on August 24th.

The Olympic Oragnizing Committee just announced over the weekend that spectators from other countries will not be allowed.Poeple who already bought the tickets will get their money back and it`s not clear yet how many people from Japan will be able to attend the games.

The reason for the new restriction according to the International Olympic and Paralympic Commiittee is that the international COVID situation is still very challenging and that international travel is still severely restricted. Organizers say the decision will help keep the games safe and secure but it could hurt Japan economically without visiting the vistis and spending by interational tourists that usually benenfit Olympic hosts. The decision to delay the games has already taken a toll on some athletes though others are grateful for the extra training time.

Olympic fencer Rio Miyake took off up a new job last year, delivering food for Uber Eats to make an extra cash and stay in shape during the pandemic. His trainning stopped for several month after Tokyo announced to postpone the postponement of the Olympics.
He`s since resumed the practice but the physical and mental challenges remaine.

It’s like a running running a full marathon for four years. And Adding aonther year is like we have to keep on running before reaching the goal. With the olympic games just months away, it is still unclear how Japan plans to hold the game safely.
While the Japanese government has vowed the games will go ahead, a poll in January by public broadcaster NHK found that 77% of people in Japan think the games should be cancelled or further postponed. I think it’s quite risky to hold the Olympics in Japan at this stage.

But I think all athletes understand that safety is the first priority. And I don’t think there are any athletes who want to compete in the Olympics no matter what. At stake are of tens of billions of dollars in Japan’s national pride but for athletes a lifetime of dedication hands hangs in balance as does their mental well being.

When we started to see more and more Olympic athletes and sparing aspiring Olympic athletes coming through our support system and having to put yourself through not only any the level of trainning that these athletes are working at 6, 7 days a week. But also to stay as mentally hungry and driven in trying to reach the goal that isn’t actually finalized and fixed at a set date and time is really, really tough and eventually that will take its toll on the mental health of these olympions Olympians.

But sports climber, Akio No Gucci, was happy to have an extra year of practice. She was planning to retire after the Tokyo 2020 games, when sport climbing was supposed to make its Olympic debut. She’s pushed back her retirement by one year and in order to make the Olympics the last competition of her career.



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