DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum 2000 Summer Olympics---July 23, 2021

Now I know why I keep thinking "SOMETHING BIG" was missing this year but couldn't put a finger on it.

The dedication these athletes have!!!

CAN'T WAIT FOR 7-23-21....!!!

Just thinking to myself......"hypothetically speaking, if, before 7-23-21, I dust under the TV and it accidentally falls on the floor and bounces 7 times I'd prob need a new one".

no?

Fifty-seven years* after having organised the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time.

According to the organisers of the event in 2021, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad of the modern era will be “the most innovative ever organised, and will rest on three fundamental principles to transform the world: striving for your personal best (achieving your personal best); accepting one another (unity in diversity); and passing on a legacy for the future (connecting to tomorrow)”.

Aligning with the reforms advocated by Olympic Agenda 2020, the Tokyo Games will use as many existing competition venues as possible, namely those built for the Games in 1964, such as the prestigious Nippon Budokkan for judo, the Baji Koen Park for equestrian events, and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium for handball. The Tokyo National Stadium, where the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and athletics competitions will be staged, will be completely revamped and replaced by a new arena.

Japan has been an Olympic land since the Summer Games of 1964, which were the first to be staged in Asia. In 2021, the country will host its fourth Games, if we include the Winter Games of 1972 in Sapporo and of 1998 in Nagano.

*Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were postponed for the first time in their history. The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will now be held on 23 July 2021.

https://www.olympic.org/tokyo-2020

I’m not holding out hope it’ll happen in July either. People need to buckle up. COVID is going to be a long ride. I think people just think everything will be back to ‘normal’ by 2021. Sorry to the bearer of bad news but....

I think the use of the word tentatively should be greatly increased during the time of Covid.

True enough, but one thing to keep in mind is that there are quite a few countries that pulled their head out of their butt way early on (or never had it there in the first place) and are now enjoying a relatively normal life/lifestyle right now.

TOKYO 2020 ANNOUNCES UPDATED TEST EVENT CALENDAR

DATE 11 2 2020

The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced today its revised test event calendar, following changes made in the wake of the postponement of the Games earlier this year.

The revised test event calendar covers test events for 18 disciplines taking place between March and May 2021. These events are an important component of pre-Games preparations. They will test three essential elements: the field of play (competition area) for each event; the use of technology; and workforce – with a particular focus on technical aspects, including COVID-19 countermeasures.

In addition, Tokyo 2020 will re-examine and review the content of test events that were scheduled prior to the postponement of the Games, in collaboration with the International Federations. This further aligns with the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020 and the New Norm, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.

In response to the COVID-19 situation, Tokyo 2020 will implement infection control measures and plan to conduct comprehensive tests of various aspects of venue management, including taking care of spectators at selected test events.

Some aspects of the test events are still under review. Any changes will be announced by Tokyo 2020 as soon as they are decided.

https://www.olympic.org/news/tokyo-2020-announces-updated-test-event-calendar

Since we're finally going to have the 2000 Summer Olypics I hope those athletes have been staying in shape, now that they're in their 40's.

Russia's ban from Olympics upheld by Court of Arbitration for Sport, but term is reduced
Tom Schad USA TODAY

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday upheld an international sports ban levied against Russia for doping, but cut the duration of the ban in half from four years to two.

The long-awaited ruling, handed down by a panel of three arbitrators at the Swiss-based court, will bar Russia's flag and anthem from appearing at each of the next two Olympic Games, and other major international competitions through Dec. 16, 2022.

Though the court reduced the duration of Russia's ban, its ruling was hailed as a victory by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which implemented the ban last year after WADA investigators found that Russia had tampered with drug-testing data.

"WADA is pleased to have won this landmark case," the organization's president, Witold Bańka, said in a statement.

"The Panel has clearly upheld our findings that the Russian authorities brazenly and illegally manipulated the Moscow Laboratory data in an effort to cover up an institutionalized doping scheme. In the face of continual resistance and denial from Russia, we clearly proved our case, in accordance with due process."

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2014, file photo, a Russian skating fan holds the country's national flag over the Olympic rings before the start of the men's 10,000-meter speedskating race at Adler Arena Skating Center during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The World Anti-Doping Agency banned Russia on Monday Dec. 9, 2019 from the Olympics and other major sporting events for four years, though many athletes will likely be allowed to compete as neutral athletes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
Russia's anti-doping agency, however, also claimed victory, and prominent voices in the anti-doping community slammed the decision.

Lawyer Jim Walden, who represents Russian doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, called it "nonsensical and undeserved," while U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart deemed it a "significant loss" for clean athletes.

"There is no consolation in this weak, watered-down outcome," Tygart said in a statement. "To once again escape a meaningful consequence proportional to the crimes, much less a real ban, is a catastrophic blow to clean athletes, the integrity of sport, and the rule of law."

Thursday's ruling means that, barring an appeal to Switzerland's supreme court, Russia will have no formal presence at the Tokyo Olympics next summer, nor the Winter Olympics in Beijing or World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

Russian athletes will be able to compete under a neutral flag, however, and wear uniforms that contain Russia's colors. The ruling could effectively lead to a repeat of circumstances at the 2018 Winter Olympics, where they competed as "Olympic Athletes from Russia."

"Clean Russian athletes can take part in the Olympics without any restrictions and do that on a team formed by the national Olympic committee," Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov said, according to The Associated Press.

The IOC released a statement saying only that it has "taken note of the CAS decision" and will evaluate its consequences for the Olympic movement.

Thursday's move also prohibits Russia from hosting, or bidding to host, any Olympic Games or world championships during its two-year ban. And it bars Russian president Vladimir Putin from attending the next two Olympics — unless he receives an invitation from the host country's head of state.

"This Panel has imposed consequences to reflect the nature and seriousness of the non-compliance (to the World Anti-Doping Code) and to ensure that the integrity of sport against the scourge of doping is maintained," CAS arbitrators wrote in part of their decision.

The ruling marks the latest chapter in a Russia doping saga that has now spanned nearly a decade.

In 2016, a WADA-sponsored investigation found that more than 1,000 Russian athletes in at least 30 sports were involved in, or benefitted from, state-sponsored doping programs from 2011 to 2015 — including at the 2012 and 2014 Olympics. The violations led WADA to suspend RUSADA, Russia's anti-doping agency, for nearly three years.

Then, just months after conditionally reinstating RUSADA in the fall of 2018, WADA requested drug-testing data from a lab in Moscow. But it found that the data had been "intentionally altered prior to and while it was being forensically copied," in what it described as another Russian attempt at deception.

WADA responded last December by declaring RUSADA to be non-compliant, and banning Russia from having a formal presence at major sporting events for four years, while allowing athletes who are deemed clean to compete under a neutral flag. Some in the anti-doping community, including Tygart, had called for a blanket ban of Russian athletes competing altogether.

RUSADA refused to accept that punishment and appealed to the CAS, which heard the case at a four-day hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland in November. WADA said it requested that the hearing be open to the media and other observers, but other parties in the case declined.

The decision comes just weeks after a significant anti-doping development in the United States, with the signing of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act. The bill, which was signed into law earlier this month, will allow U.S. investigators to pursue doping schemes at international events where U.S. athletes, sponsors or broadcasters are involved.

"To the many clean athletes who were or will be cheated by dirty Russian athletes as a result of today’s ruling, please know that stronger angels have emerged," Walden, the attorney for Rodchenkov, said in his statement Thursday.

"The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act now gives the U.S. Department of Justice the power to step in to fill the void left by CAS, which consistently trivializes the longstanding and deeply rooted corruption by the Russian Federation."

Contributing: The Associated Press

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ol...ion/3919998001/

Tokyo Olympics: Over 80% of people surveyed in Japan reportedly believe games should be canceled, won't happen
By Shanna McCarriston
7 hrs ago

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were originally scheduled for summer of 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic they were forced to be postponed to 2021. As it currently stands, the games are expected to begin on July 23.

However, according to the Associated Press, an overwhelming amount of people in the country think the games should be canceled or postponed, or predict they will not take place. Over 80% of people in Japan who were surveyed gave an answer that the Olympics will not or should not happen.

The survey was carried out by the Japanese news agency Kyodo and the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).

The poll asked if the Olympics should be held, with 81% of the 1,261 people surveyed over the phone responding with "no." That is an 18 percentage point increase of "no" answers from a survey conducted in December. Just 13% of those taking part in the survey replied "yes."

The other poll done by Kyodo was asking people if the games should be canceled or rescheduled, with 80.1% responding "yes" to the question. In December, 63% of people believed the Olympics should be canceled or postponed.

Despite the skepticism, Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has confidence that the games will go on in 2021 as planned. But the growing concern from the public is related to an increase of COVID-19 cases in Japan that has caused a state of emergency.

https://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/...ed-wont-happen/

I'll be surprised if they actually occur... we'll see.. praying they do

Do people even care about the Olympics all that much anymore? The only events that draw any real interest are team events led by pro players.

Boxing may be an exception, possibly some swimming events. Who gives a crap about the 4X4 relay?

I will say I do like the winter games. IMO, way more interesting to watch.

As someone who ran track in college, I definitely care about the Track and Field events.

Even if they occur, it won't bring in the money they were hoping to since there wouldn't be the huge tourism cash-cow.... That being said, delaying another year then bumps against world championships, and a year after that would be a year before the next olympics.

From a spectators/viewers standpoint, I'd enjoy it if they happened. From Japan's standpoint, I'd try to either get the next olympics in 2024 (and thereby delaying everyone behind them by 4 years) or want to get the 2032 Olympics since the others are spoken for. Seems pushing everyone else's back makes the most sense to me without any real knowledge on what that would entail, but if venues are purpose built for this olympics, they'll be 12+ years old by time they'd roll back around....

Tokyo Olympics 'unlikely to go ahead in 2021'
By Dan Roan
BBC sports editor
19 January 2021 Business

The former chief executive of the London 2012 Olympics says it is "unlikely" that the Tokyo Games will take place this summer due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills told the BBC that organisers should now be "making plans for a cancellation".

Tokyo is currently in a state of emergency after a surge of coronavirus cases in the Japanese capital.

It is due to host world sport's biggest event in just six months time.

The showpiece has already been subject to an unprecedented year-long postponement as a result of the crisis.

The official cost has increased by 22% to £11.5bn, with the renegotiation of contracts and more security measures adding £2.1bn to the bill.

Tokyo 2020: Olympics and Paralympics will go ahead, says Japan's PM amid rising infections
Speaking exclusively to Radio 5 Live's Wake Up To Money, Sir Keith said, "I think they'll leave it to absolutely the last minute in case the situation improves dramatically, in case the vaccinations roll out faster than we all hoped. It's a tough call.

"Personally, sitting here looking at the pandemic around the world, it looks unlikely I have to say.

"If I was sitting in the shoes of the organising committee in Tokyo, I would be making plans for a cancellation and I'm sure they have plans for a cancellation. They've got another month or so before they need to make a call."

The Olympics are scheduled to run from 23 July to 8 August, with the Paralympics due to follow from 24 August to 5 September, but ten months on from their postponement, there is growing concern over the viability of the rescheduled events.

Last week, Taro Kono became the first Japanese cabinet minister to admit a decision on hosting the Games was uncertain, admitting it "could go either way".

The Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has vowed to forge ahead with plans despite mounting public opposition.

A recent Kyodo News survey found around 80% of Japanese people want a cancellation or postponement.

Sir Keith, who now chairs the Invictus Games for wounded military veterans, said: "It's not just the infections in Tokyo, it's the infections in all the competing nations.

"The challenge is whether enough competitors and enough countries can visit Japan and make it a really viable games.

"We shouldn't forget the Paralympics. Many of the competitors have underlying health conditions so flying around the world competing will be a challenge for them."

More than 11,000 athletes from around 200 countries were scheduled to take part in the 2020 Games.

It is not clear how travel restrictions might hit their participation as Japan's borders are currently largely closed to foreign visitors.

Last year, International Olympics Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach told the BBC the Games would have to be cancelled if it cannot take place this summer.

Describing a cancellation as a "tragedy", Sir Keith said there would be a major financial impact for hundreds of national Olympic committees and sports federations, because "many of them rely almost entirely on the money the Games generates.

"So if you're running badminton somewhere in South America, suddenly your funding disappears and your sport is under significant threat so the knock-on effect of this - not just in Tokyo - but all around the world, shouldn't be underestimated. It is massive.

"If the games don't happen it'll be a huge economic blow to the IOC."

He said the economics of the Olympics are complex, and that for London, much of the upside came from the regeneration of the city's east end.

"The prestige, the spotlight on Japan and Tokyo, they'll lose that if they have to cancel, which would be tragic.

"It's left the sports event industry in a really dreadful position because [organisers] invest hundreds of millions of pounds in putting on events, but have an insurance policy.

"Right now you're lucky if you can get event cancellation insurance, and even if you can get it, the terms and conditions are really onerous now. So the whole premise of running large-scale events where cancellation is always a possibility… if there's no insurance there who's going to take the risk?"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-55722542

That would be a shame. I understand it, you can't just "wait and see" because the logistics behind something like this are on a scale I can't even fathom and have to be done well in advance..

Maybe they could Zoom it?

Cool. I understand there are exceptions, but there are reasons why track events haven't managed to become pay per view events.

One of the great things about it.. there is something for everybody. I haven't cared about Olympic boxing since Sugar Ray Leonard..

I like a lot of different events and I have to admit, I'm MORE interested in events where American athletes are legit contenders..

I can agree with that. Root for team USA all the way.

I just mentioned boxing as a possible exception. I don't really care or go out of my way to watch.

No doubt. It is a personal preference. For me, I just prefer the winter games. I don't really care about either, or couldn't tell you who the studs of the sport might be, but I would rather watch ski jumping over pole vaulting.

I agree with you that I prefer the winter games... I enjoy watching the little bios they do on the athletes.. I think it's cool that these people who work their butts off for sports most people have never even tried get their moment of fame..

And, I will openly admit, I liked the team sports like hockey and basketball better when they were amateurs. The dream team thing was fun once or twice just to show how dominant the US was.. and I guess if it served a purpose, the gap between the US and some other countries is narrowing, other countries are gaining on us.. but I'd still rather go back to amateurs...

I agree. I think that is a part of it for me as well.

She loves me. She loves me not. It's like watching a ping pong ball go back and forth.

Tokyo Olympics has 'no Plan B' and will go ahead in 2021, IOC head says
Posted 7hhours ago

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has reaffirmed his commitment to holding the Tokyo Olympics this year, saying there was "no Plan B" for the showpiece sporting event.

The Tokyo Games are set to begin on July 23

Mr Bach said there was no reason to believe the Games would not go ahead
Japan recently declared a COVID-19 state of emergency in several regions including Tokyo

After the Games were postponed last year because of the global novel coronavirus pandemic, Saturday marks six months until the rearranged Olympics are due to start on July 23.

Despite dwindling public support and a surge in coronavirus cases across the world, organisers are adamant the Tokyo Games will go ahead.

"We have at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo," Mr Bach told Kyodo News.

"This is why there is no Plan B and this is why we are fully committed to make these Games safe and successful," he added.

Mr Bach said the IOC was "fully committed" to holding the Tokyo Games on schedule.

With the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on the horizon and rapidly escalating costs further reducing public support, Tokyo organisers have repeatedly ruled out postponing the Games again.

Japan has been less severely hit by the pandemic than many other advanced economies, but a recent surge in cases spurred it to close its borders to non-resident foreigners and declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and major cities.

The country last week expanded a state of emergency to cover seven regions, including the capital Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-21/t...c-says/13080414

It sounds like a game of ping pong. Back and forth. Etc, etc. Personally, if some athletes wanna compete then......have at it. No?

Japan Denies 'Categorically Untrue' Rumors of 2021 Tokyo Olympics Being in Doubt
TIM DANIELS
JANUARY 22, 2021

The Japanese government released a statement Friday saying rumors it's been decided the Summer Olympics in Tokyo will be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic are "categorically untrue."

Richard Lloyd Parry of The Times reported Thursday the Japanese government had "privately concluded" the Games are "doomed" and the focus had already shifted toward trying to secure the next available Olympics in 2032.

"No one wants to be the first to say so but the consensus is that it's too difficult," a source told Parry. "Personally, I don't think it's going to happen."

The International Olympic Committee posted its response, as well as the government's statement, on Twitter:

IOC president Thomas Bach told Ayano Shimizu of Kyodo News he continued to operate under the belief the Olympics would move forward as scheduled.

"We have at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo," Bach said Thursday.

He added there would likely be "sacrifices," including a reduced number of spectators, with the Games held with a "safety first" mindset.

"This is why there is no plan B and this is why we are fully committed to make these games safe and successful," Bach said.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who took office in September, also cautioned no final decision has been made despite reports to the contrary.

"I am determined to realize a safe and secure Tokyo Games as proof that mankind will have overcome the virus," Suga told parliament Friday, per the Washington Post's Simon Denyer.

The logistical concerns of trying to host a major sporting event with players from around the world during a global pandemic have already been on display, though.

Ahead of the 2021 Australian Open, the first tennis Grand Slam tournament of the year, there are 72 players facing a "hard quarantine" where they won't be able to leave their hotel room for 14 days because of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the flights bringing them to the country.

The Australian Open typically features a couple hundred players between the qualifiers and the final singles and doubles draws. The number of athletes expected for the Olympics is over 11,000.

Although vaccines have started to roll out around the world, the focus during the early stages is on the elderly population and those with preexisting conditions that make them more likely to deal with major complications from the coronavirus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the longtime director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Thursday a "degree of normality" may return this year, but not until the fall.

So there are plenty of questions about whether it will be safe to hold a wide-scale Olympics starting in July, but the Japanese government made it clear a cancellation decision hasn't been made yet.

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/a...-doubt.amp.html

Tokyo 2020: Florida official meets with Olympic committee to discuss moving Summer Games to US. Japan is capital currently set to host Summer Olympics beginning July 23.
By Catie PerryFOXBusiness

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis explains why he thinks Florida would be a good host for the Olympics if Tokyo, Japan backs out as a host city.

The idea of Florida hosting the postponed Summer Olympics is increasingly possible after a state official met with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday.

Increasing concerns about whether scheduled host city Tokyo can host the event this summer led Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis to offer the Sunshine State as a backup, he told FOX Business Network's "Cavuto: Coast to Coast".

“I had a nice visit with the IOC,” said Patronis, who added that Olympic officials "pointed out the value that Florida brings to the table – the talent, the resources, the funding that we provide.”

“I know the Olympics want Japan,” he added. “I'm just concerned Japan doesn't want the Olympics.”

Worries have been mounting over the possibility of staging the Summer Games after it was postponed a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, organizers have dealt with growing budget and health concerns, including a spike in coronavirus cases across Japan.

According to The Wall Street Journal, one Japanese official is calling on U.S. President Biden to help rescue the Tokyo Games. The IOC reiterated its commitment to holding the Olympics in Japan during a press conference Wednesday.

“The Olympics are in a tough place – 80% of the Japanese people do not want the games to move forward,” Patronis said, referring to two recent polls, reported by The Associated Press.

Patronis also pointed to Florida’s success hosting events like the 2020 NBA Playoffs in a bubble environment at Walt Disney World, as well as the opening of major theme parks.

“They're doing it safely,” he said. “We serviced 131 million tourists last year. That's more than the entire country of Japan combined.”

Patronis recalled IOC President Thomas Bach saying the Games are a television event rather than a spectator event. However, the Olympics still cost host cities a significant amount of money in infrastructure.

“The Olympics isn't an event to take lightly," Patronis said. "It costs billions of dollars to put it together."

He added there has been a huge outpouring of support to have Florida host the Games.

“The talent is here, the networks are here, the viewership is here."

https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/tokyo-2020-florida-official-meets-olympic-committee-moving-games

Olympics-Games will go ahead regardless of pandemic situation: Tokyo 2020 president

By Reuters Staff

February 2, 2021. Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said on Tuesday that Japan would hold the Summer Olympics regardless of the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and was working closely with the International Olympic Committee to make them happen.

“We will hold the Olympics, regardless of how the coronavirus (situation) looks,” Mori said, adding that the discussion should focus on how, not whether, the Olympics will happen.

“We must consider new ways of hosting the Olympics” as a part of that, he said.

Mori added that while working together had its difficulties, Tokyo 2020 organisers and the IOC had a strong relationship.

Mori was speaking at the start of a meeting with Japan’s Sports Research Commission.

The 2020 Games were postponed last year due to the global spread of the novel coronavirus.

A recent spike in infections in Japan that triggered a state of emergency in some areas has fuelled speculation about whether the rescheduled Games can be held this summer.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2020-japan-idUSKBN2A20WU

I usually watch the track & field, Men's volleyball, swimming and as a kid loved the Men's BB but since we switched to our NBA players I watch Olympic BB will much less enthusiasm. AS a kid I watched weight lifting but not as much anymore.

Japan may open border to Olympic athletes from next month: sources
KYODO NEWS KYODO NEWS - 18 hours ago

Athletes barred from entering Japan due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions may be permitted to do so after the current state of emergency is lifted, sources with knowledge of the matter said Saturday.

The emergency declaration, aimed at containing the spread of the virus, is scheduled to be lifted entirely on March 7. Japan has temporarily suspended exemptions allowing foreign athletes to train in the country ahead of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Japanese government currently prohibits entry by all nonresident foreigners in principle but can make exceptions for humanitarian or other reasons.

With the Japanese men's national soccer team set to resume hosting World Cup qualifiers on March 30, and test events for this summer's games scheduled to take place from April, there are concerns about the impact of the travel ban.

Given the uncertainty, the government is likely to grant special entry to overseas-based athletes, while also easing the existing requirement that would force them to quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Japan.

However, they will still be asked to refrain from venturing outside of their hotels and competition venues, and prohibited from taking public transport.

The Tokyo Olympics, postponed for a year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, are due to open on July 23.

Feb 27, 2021 | KYODO NEWS

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/...th-sources.html

IOC: International Weightlifting Federation Has Ignored Reform, Could Lose Olympic Spot

Written by Phil BlechmanLast updated on February 26th, 2021

On Feb 24, 2021, Director General of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Christophe De Kepper sent a letter to International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Interim President Dr. Michael Irani and IWF General Secretary M. Mohammed Jalood expressing concerns about the “culture and leadership of the IWF.”

This is not the first time in recent memory the IOC has admonished the IWF regarding its governance. As noted by De Kepper, three previous letters with explanations of concern were sent to the IWF on Feb. 5, 9, and 19, 2021 in regard to a recent decision that eased anti-doping violations. That decision was reversed by the IWF, but the IOC pointed out “many other areas of requested change” from the IOC and International Testing Agency (ITA) that “have been ignored.”

The IOC listed five major concerns including ongoing anti-doping investigations, Olympic qualification events, the scheduling of the upcoming Electoral and Constitutional Congresses, lack of transparency, and perhaps most notably: the “lack of engagement with the elected athlete representatives.”

Chair of the IWF Athlete’s Commission Sarah Davies has confirmed to BarBend in a to-be-released podcast recording that the IWF Executive Board has been largely unwelcoming and dismissive to her and other athletes’ presence on the Athlete’s Commission.

If the IWF fails to address the IOC’s concerns “in a satisfactory and timely way” the IOC may follow through on their threat to withdraw weightlifting from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games program as well as reduce the quota for IWF officials at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Weightlifting has already incurred a loss of 76 spots in the athlete quota for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games — the largest of any sport.

Davies took to her Instagram page to “beg” every IWF member federation to vote for new members of the IWF Executive board.

She went on to highlight the ethical complications of members currently sitting on the IWF Executive Board. Examples included the anti-doping violations and a Medical Council rules breach committed by members who were former weightlifters, money laundering, and involvement in the financial corruption scandal involving former IWF President Dr. Tamas Aján.

Davies warns that if the IWF Executive Board is not overhauled in the upcoming elections, then “our member federations are to blame for losing our place in the Games.” British Weight Lifting and the European Weightlifting Federation have voiced a similar sentiment.

Davies believes the IWF needs “young fresh energy to move our sport forward.”

https://barbend.com/ioc-weightlifting-olympic-games-iwf-reform/

Japan to stage Tokyo Olympics without overseas spectators
KYODO NEWS KYODO NEWS - Mar 9, 2021 - 23:34 | Sports, News, All, Japan

The Japanese government has decided to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, officials with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday.

The government and the Japanese organizing committee of the Summer Games are expected to hold a remote meeting with the International Olympic Committee and two other bodies possibly next week to make a formal decision on the issue of overseas visitors.

The government has concluded that welcoming fans from abroad is not possible given concerns among the Japanese public over the coronavirus and the fact that more contagious variants have been detected in many countries, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Japan continues to halt new entries of foreign nationals in principle as it is taking more time than initially expected for the government to stem the number of infections since early January, when it peaked at more than 2,500 cases per day in Tokyo.

With the decision, the government will also have to review its growth strategy, given that expectations for inbound visitors to revive the Japanese economy were high, especially before the games were delayed for one year due to the outbreak of the virus.

On March 3, the representatives of the five organizing bodies, which also include the International Paralympic Committee and the Tokyo metropolitan government, agreed to make a decision on overseas spectators by the end of this month.

They will then make a call in April on the number of spectators to be allowed into venues based on Japanese restrictions on attendance at large events.

While the one-year postponement of the games has caused the cost to balloon to at least 1.64 trillion yen ($15 billion), the organizing committee was expecting to make 90 billion yen from ticket sales.

The committee now needs to proceed with refunding foreign ticket holders and it is expected to separately consider what to do with foreign spectators to be invited by corporate sponsors of the games.

It has not publicly disclosed the total number of tickets to be sold, but some officials have said it was likely to be over 9 million before the games were rescheduled one year ago.

While about 1 million overseas spectators were estimated to enter Japan, some 4.45 million tickets have already been sold in the country, of which about 810,000 requests for refund have been made so far.

In December, a government-led panel tasked with coming up with COVID-19 measures for the Olympics said in an interim report that overseas spectators could use public transport and be exempt from a 14-day quarantine requirement if they were from countries with relatively few virus cases.

However, the Japanese organizers studied several options in parallel, such as holding the games behind closed doors and staging them with a limited number of spectators just from Japan.

"We would really like people from around the world to come to a full stadium, but unless we are prepared to accept them and the medical situation in Japan is perfect, it will cause a great deal of trouble also to visitors from overseas," Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Japanese committee, told reporters last week.

Hashimoto has sought to finalize whether to let visitors from abroad watch the games live in the stands at each venue before the domestic leg of the Olympic torch relay begins on March 25.

The opening ceremony of the relay will be held without spectators as well to prevent the spread of the virus, officials with knowledge of the planning also said Tuesday.

The organizing committee has decided it is essential to hold the ceremony in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima behind closed doors, only permitting participants and invitees to take part in the event, to avoid large crowds forming amid the pandemic, the officials said.

After the ceremony at the J-Village soccer training center, about 10,000 runners will carry the flame through Japan's 47 prefectures before the opening of the Olympics on July 23.

The training center served as a frontline base in the battle against the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami of March 11, 2011. It was selected as the starting point of the relay to showcase the northeastern region's recovery from the triple disaster.

Last month, the committee released a set of coronavirus countermeasures for the 121-day relay that requested those who wish to watch the event to refrain from traveling to other prefectures and to maintain social distancing from other spectators.

In recent weeks, a number of celebrity torchbearers, who were expected to draw large crowds along the route, have opted out of the event, which was supposed to have been held last year before the Olympics and Paralympics were due to the global health crisis.

The Olympics are due to take place between July 23 and Aug. 8, followed by the Paralympics from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/...orch-relay.html

Olympic torch relay begins in Fukishima

The Olympic torch started its journey across Japan on Thursday morning after a yearlong delay. That's because the Tokyo 2020 Games were postponed due to the global pandemic.

The torch relay will travel through all 47 prefectures and be carried out under tight anti-coronavirus measures.

The relay began in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima, which was devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident.

A departure ceremony was held with officials citing their hopes to overcome the pandemic and showcase the recovery efforts after the disaster 10 years ago.

Tokyo 2020 President Hashimoto Seiko said she hopes the Olympic flame of the Tokyo Games will "light up hopes around Japan one by one with its sacred, powerful and warm shine."

Fukushima Governor Uchibori Masao said, "Here in Fukushima Prefecture, we have been facing serious problems and are still recovering from 2011. So the torch relay and the Games are very precious for us -- the people in Fukushima."

The flame was brought to Japan from Greece last March.

The first runners are members from Nadeshiko Japan, the national women's soccer team that won the 2011 World Cup soon after the country was hit by the disaster.

About 10,000 runners plan to participate in the relay, each carrying the torch for around 200 meters.

Due to the pandemic, tight prevention measures are in place. Officials have asked spectators to wear masks and to refrain from cheering loudly for the runners.

The relay has not been without controversy -- more than 30 runners pulled out due to concerns about the spread of the virus and other reasons.

The 121-day journey is scheduled to end at the national stadium in Tokyo on July 23, just in time for the Opening Ceremonies.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210325_29/

2021 Olympics: Association of Japanese doctors calls for Tokyo Games to be canceled amid COVID-19 spike
By Gabriel Fernandez
4 hrs ago

An organization representing approximately 6,000 Japanese doctors took a stand against the Tokyo Olympics, arguing that the Games should be outright canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The message comes from the Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association in an open letter to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that was shared on Monday and written on May 14.

The big argument from the group is that the city's hospitals are already so full in response to a surge of coronavirus infections that to allow the Olympics to happen would make the situation much more dire than it already is.

"We strongly request that the authorities convince the IOC (International Olympic Committee) that holding the Olympics is difficult and obtain its decision to cancel the Games," the letter reads, according to Reuters.

This letter was written about a week after Japan announced a state of emergency in Tokyo as a result of the country's rising COVID-19 cases, something that has happened multiple times before. As it currently stand, the country's rollout plan for the vaccine is also nowhere near where it needs to be given what how much of the country was open prior to this recent federal initiative.

The Games have already been postponed once as a result of the pandemic - from 2020 to 2021 -- and doing so again would likely result in an all-out cancellation of the event. A poll released in April revealed that 72 percent of Japanese people want the games canceled or postponed as a result of a sluggish government response to coronavirus.

The Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin in Tokyo on July 23.

https://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/...covid-19-spike/

Regardless of what you think about the situation, I highly doubt they cancel the games at this point.

Agreed.

By 'you' I meant 'anyone', btw.

Major Japan newspaper demands Tokyo Olympics be canceled
8:01 AM ET

Associated Press
TOKYO -- Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper on Wednesday called for the Tokyo Olympics to be canceled with the Games set to open in less than two months.

It is the first of Japan's major newspapers to make the move and joins some regional newspapers that have recently added to the growing opposition to holding the Olympics.

Coming out against the Olympics could be significant since the newspaper, like many in Japan, is a sponsor of the postponed Tokyo Games that are scheduled to open on July 23. Asahi is typically liberal-leaning and often opposes the ruling party led by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

"We cannot think it's rational to host the Olympics in the city this summer," the newspaper said in its editorial under a headline that read: "We Demand PM Suga Decide Cancellation."

"Distrust and backlash against the reckless national government, Tokyo government and stakeholders in the Olympics are nothing but escalating," the editorial added. "We demand Prime Minister Suga to calmly evaluate the circumstances and decide the cancellation of the summer event."

Asahi has a morning circulation reported at 5.16 million and 1.55 million for its evening edition. It is the second-largest circulating newspaper in the world, behind Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun.

Despite the editorial, there is no indication the International Olympic Committee or local organizers have any plans to pull the plug on the Games. But opposition is mounting with only a tiny percentage of Japanese people now vaccinated.

Tokyo organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto said Wednesday he was aware of the editorial, but he offered little response.

Asahi is one of about 70 local Olympic sponsors that have chipped in almost $3.5 billion to the organizing committee budget. It is also one of a half-dozen newspapers that are sponsors.

"Of course, different press organizations have different views. And that's very natural," Muto said, adding that local partners, or sponsors, continued to offer "support."

Senior IOC member Richard Pound said in an interview with Japan's Jiji Press last week that the final deadline to call off the Olympics was still a month away.

"Before the end of June, you really need to know, yes or no," Jiji quoted Pound as saying.

The British Medical Journal called last month for a hard look at going forward with the Olympics. Local medical officials have also been skeptical, and billionaire businessman Masayoshi Son suggested over the weekend that the IOC was forcing the Olympics on Japan.

"Right now, more than 80% of the nation's people want the Olympics postponed or canceled," said Son, the founder and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp. who also owns the SoftBank Hawks baseball team.

"Who is forcing this to go ahead, and under what rights?" Son added.

Asahi also criticized the IOC, calling it "self-righteous," and also lambasted IOC vice president John Coates. Last week, Coates was asked whether the Olympics would be held if a state of emergency were in force.

"Absolutely, yes," he replied.

The newspaper said there was a "huge gap" between Coates' words and the sentiments "of the people."

"Despite its overgrown size and excessive commercialism and many other problems, the Olympics have been supported because of empathy for its ideals. ... But what is the reality now?" Asahi asked.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government said a warning by the United States to avoid travel to Japan would have no impact on holding the Olympics.

Japan has officially spent $15.4 billion to organize the Olympics, and government audits suggest it might be much larger. The IOC gets billions from selling broadcast rights, which amounts to about 75% of its income.

Public opinion polls in Japan show between 60-80% want the Olympics canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an online petition asking the Games be canceled has gained 400,000 signatures in a few weeks.

Tokyo, Osaka and other regions of the country are under a state of emergency that is likely to be extended past its May 31 expiration.

Organizers and the IOC, often citing the authority of the World Health Organization, say the Games can be held safely with 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes entering Japan, joined by tens of thousands of judges, officials, sponsors, broadcasters and media.

Fans from abroad have already been banned, and organizers are set to announce next month whether any fans at all will be allowed into Olympic venues.

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id...ympics-canceled

NBC Universal will air more than 7,000 hours of Olympics coverage on TV and streaming video
PUBLISHED MON, JUN 7 20212:00 PM EDTUPDATED MON, JUN 7 20212:02 PM EDT
Jabari Young

The media company will use two broadcast networks, six cable networks and multiple streaming platforms to show the global games in Tokyo.

NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC, announced Monday it will show more than 7,000 hours of content from the Tokyo Olympics across its networks and streaming platforms.

Historically, the Summer Olympics has been a massive draw for viewers. In 2016, the two-week event attracted an average of 27.5 million viewers across all NBC platforms, and delivered 3.3 billion minutes of streaming video. The 2012 Games in London attracted roughly 31 million viewers, and the 2008 Beijing Olympics averaged 27 million viewers.

This year’s spectacle, which was postponed from 2020 because of the Covid pandemic, runs from July 23 to Aug. 8, with NBC’s broadcast network anchoring prime-time events. The games will include 41 sporting events, including new competitions such as baseball, softball, skateboarding, surfing and karate.

NBC will show popular competitions, including the USA men’s basketball team’s chase for a 16th gold medal, women’s basketball, women’s soccer, swimming and gymnastics featuring USA champion Simone Biles. More than 5,000 hours will stream on NBColympics.com

In addition, cable sports network NBCSN will broadcast more than 440 hours and USA Network more than 380 hours on USA Network. The Olympic Channel will show Team USA competitions, including wrestling and tennis. The Golf Channel will show golf events, and Telemundo Deportes will air competitions in Spanish language.

CNBC will show more than 100 hours of competitions during its prime-time programming hours, including diving, beach volleyball, rowing, water polo and rugby. The network has aired Olympic games since 2000.

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto has stated that she is 100 percent certain that the Olympics will go ahead despite widespread public opposition as Japan.

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto has stated that she is 100 percent certain that the Olympics will go ahead despite widespread public opposition as Japan grapples with a fourth wave of coronavirus.

In a statement, Molly Solomon, NBC Olympics production president, said coverage around the Tokyo Olympics would be “unprecedented” and will showcase “once-in-a-generation athletes and storylines that will capture the incredible uniqueness of these Games and our times.”

In 2014, NBC and the International Olympic Committee agreed to a $7.75 billion media rights deal to extend their partnership. The current agreement runs through the 2032 Olympics and allows NBC to leverage the 2024 event in France and the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

There has been opposition about holding the event this year as Covid continues to impact countries. The IOC has inserted intense pandemic protocols for the games, including testing athletes at least every four days. Spectators from outside of Japan will not be allowed to attend competitions.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/07/nbcuniversal-will-air-more-than-7000-hours-of-olympics-coverage.html

j/c

If I recall from past olympics, NBC still required you to login with your cable account. Meaning, cord cutters couldn't watch the streaming.

And for the 2024 Olympics.....

German firm's air taxi aims to be operational for Paris 2024 Olympics

PARIS, June 21 (Reuters) - German company Volocopter performed on Monday a first flight of its electrical air taxi in France at a show in Le Bourget airport and said it aimed to have a service in operation for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.

The flying taxi, which looks like a tiny helicopter, took off at Bourget airport near Paris and then landed vertically after a three-minute flight. It had no passengers on board.

It flew some 500 metres in the air at speeds of up to 30 kilometres per hour and was around 30 metres above the airfield, Volocopter said in a statement.

It has the capacity for two people on board and a luggage compartment.

"The clear intention for Paris 2024, the objective is to actually have a regular service in operation," Volocopter Chief Executive Florian Reuter said. "That's a challenge."

Reuters said the flying taxi service would initially be operated by a fully licensed pilot in order to comply with existing regulations.

"Over time... we want these vehicles to fly fully automated, so you will not need a pilot licence anymore," he added.

Reuter described the urban mobility market as "gigantic".

Reporting by Noemie Olive, Christian Hartmann and Manuel Ausloos; Writing by Matthieu Protard Editing by Gareth Jones

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports...ics-2021-06-21/

j/c...