Here come the Tokyo Olympics, 23 July 2021… Covid or no Covid, Covid vaccine or no Covid vaccine! The whole world is backing the Olympics for next year and Japan is determined.
The Tokyo Olympics will now commence on 23 July, 2021, and the Paralympics on 24 August, 2021. By all reports it is full steam ahead!
The Australian Team in all sports have the green light to train with everything they have got. Australia is going, and we are going to field a full team in all sports.
Key parties responsible for the Olympics going ahead are:
1. The International Olympic Committee (IOC)
2. The Japanese Government
3. Tokyo Municipal Government
4. The Tokyo Organising Committee (TOCOG)
All of these key organising parties will nevertheless work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO). The new Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, has said: “The Japanese government is determined to host the Olympic Games and will spare no effort in order to welcome everyone to a Games that are safe and secure.”
All key organising parties are united in their commitment to prioritise the health and safety of athletes, spectators, stakeholders, volunteers and staff. The commitment is unwavering.
There are still lots of unknowns that are yet to be pioneered and there will be Covid restrictions in place — for example, up to 15% fewer officials, no team welcoming ceremonies, and the athletes’ village along with training facilities and the competition venues will be maintained as a big “bio-bubble”. And there will be more restrictions.
However, the Olympics are full steam ahead, and they are going to deliver a full competition programme. They are just going to be different, and they are going to be special.
Edwina Tops-Alexander, pictured here riding Lintea Tequila at Rio in 2016, also competed at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. © Eric Knoll
The last Olympic Games (Rio, 2016) saw a bronze medal in the eventing team thanks to Chris Burton, Sam Griffiths, Shane Rose and Stuart Tinney. Will we see them again in 2021, or will there be a new face in the mix? © Eric Knoll
Wendy Schaeffer rode her ‘pony club’ horse Sunburst to gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games – who will step up in 2021? Photo supplied by the Schaeffer family.
Mary Hanna, pictured here with Boogie Woogie at Rio in 2016, has represented Australia at six Olympic Games. © Eric Knoll
SO WHAT IS AUSTRALIA DOING?
The Australian Olympic Committee has put together a team called ‘Wagasa’, which means ‘umbrella’ in Japanese. So this is the Australian umbrella plan to cover all challenges for athletes between now and the Olympic Games.
Project Wagasa has four phases:
1. Qualifying events, test events and training
2. Pre-Games training camps
3. Assembling the Australian Olympic Team
4. Returning home
Primarily Project Wagasa will provide a safety net to ensure that proper processes and protocols are in place to get all the Australian athletes to the Games and then home again fit and healthy.
So there you go. Tokyo is a goer for 2021. Does that mean that some of you out there who were not ready for the Olympics this year are indeed a possibility for next year? Guess what… for some people, that is a yes.
Next month we will maybe name a few individuals who were non-contenders for a 2020 Olympics, but now the one-year delay has allowed them to move into contention. Also, where are the events and competitions to watch? It’s a whole new ball game. EQ
Cheers, Heath
Information sourced from the AOC Athlete Update, 29 September, Ian Chesterman – Chef de Mission, Tokyo 2020 Australian Olympic Team
Read more here: www.olympics.com.au/covid-19-update
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO READ:
Chris Burton sees the bright side of 2020 (In this issue)
A new EA for all of us, hopefully (Ryan’s Rave, September 2020 issue)
EA administration and hopefully a future (Ryan’s Rave, August 2020 issue)
EA’s voluntary administration (Ryan’s Rave, July 2020 issue)
What I look for in an eventing horse (Ryan’s Rave, June 2020 issue)
Novel way to deal with lockdown (Ryan’s Rave, May 2020 issue)