Potential for cancellation of Tokyo 2020

[missing]

Philip Hersh Retweeted



Motoko Rich

@motokorich

Talk of Japanese parliament: the banner on
@Olympics
Twitter page is no longer the Tokyo Summer Olympics

 

[Tesla]

Philip Hersh Retweeted
Motoko Rich
@motokorich

Talk of Japanese parliament: the banner on
@Olympics
Twitter page is no longer the Tokyo Summer Olympics

I don’t think that means anything. One of the responses says it’s Beijing's one year to go. They’re probably highlighting that.

 

[Japanfan]

Does no one else note the irony of this poster's user name for not appreciating and respecting the cultural differences of another country influencing the expectation of someone in that job to take these actions?

Well, I don't appreciate all the cultural traditions in my own country or culture, also. Will not go into detail at the moment. I did marvel at the order and harmony in Japan, but sometimes questioned whether the cost was worth it (as did some Japanese people I knew). I also appreciated how safe and supportive the country once. For example, once I was at the train station and realized I had forgotten my wallet. The police box, or train station box at the station, gave me the fare and I filled out an IOU.

And Japan didn't do to shabbily by me, given that I wrote more than a few articles about Japanese businesses and individuals/artists for English speaking magazines. I even had a cover story in the magazine for Japanese Airlines, which was well-regarded (about the changing role of Japanese men in society), and also a cover for another Japanese airline magazine.

And I did not disrespect this person or say anything, I just found the situation absurd.

BTW, my username refers to skaters - Takeshi Honda and Fumi Suguri. I've always had a fondness for some Japanese skaters, Machidi being my most recent. And of course I love Dai just like everyone else.

The idea is to acknowledge anyone who is waiting to get on. It's not for your benefit as you are already on.

I totally get that. But no one was getting on - or getting off.

To give an analogy, imagine a store greet at Walmart or any other business that has a greeter. The greeter is nodding and saying 'welcome to Walmart, thank you for shopping', but there is no one on the receiving end of the greeting.

Do you think that no-one would find that odd?

 

[Sylvia]

Reports: Mori to resign Tokyo Olympics over sexist remarks

Yoshiro Mori is expected to step down as the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee. This follows his demeaning comments about women more than a week ago and an ensuing public debate in Japan about gender equality.

apnews.com

Japan’s Kyodo news agency and others reported on Thursday — citing unnamed sources “familiar with the matter” — that Yoshiro Mori will step down on Friday as the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee.

The move follows his sexist comments about women more than a week ago, and an ensuing and rare public debate in Japan about gender equality. They also come just over five months before the Olympics are to open.

A decision is expected to be announced on Friday when the organizing committee’s executive board meets. The executive board is overwhelming male, as is the day-to-day leadership.

Though some on the street have called for him to resign — several hundred Olympic volunteers say they are withdrawing — most decision makers have stopped short of this and have simply condemned his remarks. Japan is a country that works largely on consensus with politicians — often elderly and male — acting behind the scenes and leaking trial balloons to sense public sentiment.

His replacement is reported to be 84-year-old Saburo Kawabuchi, a former president of the Japanese soccer association.

 

[allezfred]

So much I would like to say about M*ri resigning and I can't.

 

[Judy]

What I see is that now that there are vaccines, a lot of people have decided that the only safe situation to hold a big event is if everyone at the event is vaccinated. This is not scientific and it's hopefully not the criteria that the IOC or Japan's OC is using.

Let's say half the world is vaccinated by June. This is not enough for herd immunity. But it's going to decrease cases drastically. If only half the population can even get the disease, there aren't as many hosts for the vir*s. So then the normal precautions will work that much better because your chance of coming across someone who is infected are that much lower.

It works the opposite way, as well, during the holidays when cases were so high, things that were safe to do before -- like going to the grocery store -- become unsafe because your chance of crossing paths with someone who was infected were greater.

Well my niece tokd me that the Olympics (as of now) are not going to be traditional. The event will be held over a month with competitots flying in and then leaving once their event is finished. I would assume no ooening closing ceremonies it will be very strict covid requirements.
My niece works for Own the podium otherwise I’d be clueless.

 

[Debbie S]

Well my niece tokd me that the Olympics (as of now) are not going to be traditional. The event will be held over a month with competitots flying in and then leaving once their event is finished. I would assume no ooening closing ceremonies it will be very strict ********* requirements.
My niece works for Own the podium otherwise I’d be clueless.

This article suggests there will be an OC: https://apnews.com/article/winter-o...******-japan-25207afa4ad7aa08e47d105586d1f337

Agree that the usual OC and CC are high risk in our current times, so maybe they'll be scaled down. The article, at the end, does allude to schedule changes.

Given the current pace and timelines for vaccinations, I'm not sure Beijing will be terribly safe. I assume it will happen, barring another surge, but it may not look like the usual Olys. I had signed up for Beijing updates on the CoSport website, back in our previous world in 2019, and they sent their first email last week. But I don't know how likely it is that they'll allow spectators outside of China. And I definitely won't be going...maybe Milan...

 

[Judy]

This article suggests there will be an OC: https://apnews.com/article/winter-o...******-japan-25207afa4ad7aa08e47d105586d1f337

Agree that the usual OC and CC are high risk in our current times, so maybe they'll be scaled down. The article, at the end, does allude to schedule changes.

Given the current pace and timelines for vaccinations, I'm not sure Beijing will be terribly safe. I assume it will happen, barring another surge, but it may not look like the usual Olys. I had signed up for Beijing updates on the CoSport website, back in our previous world in 2019, and they sent their first email last week. But I don't know how likely it is that they'll allow spectators outside of China. And I definitely won't be going...maybe Milan...

My niece is moving into a new place and I think I asked about spectators but when I see her I’ll see what she knows. I also think it was a “no” but I can’t remember.

 

[once_upon]

I'm not sure what this author is advocating for

If the West boycotts China’s Olympics, the Games could end forever. Fingers crossed.
Opinion by Charles Lane

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/if-the-west-boycotts-chinas-olympics-the-games-could-end-forever-fingers-crossed/2021/02/16/b1ffe1ec-7068-11eb-93be-c10813e358a2_story.html

 

[skatingguy]

I'm not sure what this author is advocating for

If the West boycotts China’s Olympics, the Games could end forever. Fingers crossed.
Opinion by Charles Lane

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/if-the-west-boycotts-chinas-olympics-the-games-could-end-forever-fingers-crossed/2021/02/16/b1ffe1ec-7068-11eb-93be-c10813e358a2_story.html

I don't have a Washington Post subscription - 'fingers cross' that the Olympics will end, or won't end?

The rhetoric in Canada from the Conservative opposition on this issue is increasing, and I think the chance of a boycott by Canada is growing.

 

[aka_gerbil]

I don’t think China should have been awarded another games to begin with, but at this point, a boycott just hurts the athletes more than proving a point to China.

 

[MacMadame]

I don't have a Washington Post subscription - 'fingers cross' that the Olympics will end, or won't end?

That the Olympics will die. Because all those athletes that take place are really well-off professionals.

 

[skatingguy]

I don’t think China should have been awarded another games to begin with, but at this point, a boycott just hurts the athletes more than proving a point to China.

That hasn't stopped anyone in the past, plus it was China or Kazakhstan, so on a human rights decision that's a pick'em.

 

[skatingguy]

That the Olympics will die. Because all those athletes that take place are really well-off professionals.

I can accept that there are some that think the Olympics have become too big, and should end, but the idea that all the athletes are wealthy suggests the writer doesn't actually follow sports, and maybe then if they don't like the Olympics they can just not watch, and let others enjoy the spectacle.

 

[Lemonade20]

I agree the Olympics has become really bloated and way too big. Fewer countries are willing to take on such a massive role hosting the Olympics.

 

[Marco]

Reports: Mori to resign Tokyo Olympics over sexist remarks

Yoshiro Mori is expected to step down as the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee. This follows his demeaning comments about women more than a week ago and an ensuing public debate in Japan about gender equality.

apnews.com

Apparently the lady who is to replace him is the same lady who was caught force-kissing Daisuke Takahashi a few years ago.

 

[Meoima]

Maybe we just cancel the Olympics all together. The money investing in an Olympic doesn’t go back easily. It’s just wasteful.

 

[Orm Irian]

Maybe we just cancel the Olympics all together. The money investing in an Olympic doesn’t go back easily. It’s just wasteful.

The cities that host them definitely don't get enough economic benefit from it to offset the cost of hosting, though the tourism benefits of a two-week-long ad slot can be longer-term I guess. And they also have an enormous carbon footprint even when trying not to. They're a nice thing to have, but they may turn out to be a thing whose time has passed - one of those things we have to give up for now or forever in order to keep living on this planet.

 

[once_upon]

That the Olympics will die. Because all those athletes that take place are really well-off professionals.

It was a little more than that. It was whether or not we (Western World) should boycott the Chinese Olympics. Then the Chinese would boycott the next Olympics. Which in essence would kill the Olympics i guess, somehow?
He total forgot (I think) the US boycotting the Russian Olympics in 1980's followed by Russia boycotting the US Olympics the next cycle.

Somehow he connected it with how because of ethics, the Olympics in Germany during Hitler's reign might have killed the Olympics if the world boycotted.

That in a recent time period, the Western world - he listed who he considered that to be - won 900+ of the 1100+ medals. He also felt that the athletes were professionals with many opportunities to earn much more in a professional career and something or other. And it was time to end the Olympics

My guess is that he must only watch basketball, hockey, tennis, boxing etc. Probably thinks sports like figure skating and gymnastics do shows.

I agree he really is not a sports writer.

 

[allezfred]

Apparently the lady who is to replace him is the same lady who was caught force-kissing Daisuke Takahashi a few years ago.

The lady is Seiko Hashimoto, former speed skater and president of the JSF, and that article about her “force-kissing” Takahashi was published by one of those horrible tabloid weeklies.

Hashimoto is not without her critics. A Japanese magazine in 2014 ran photographs of her embracing figure skater Daisuke Takahashi at a party during the Sochi Olympics, suggesting it was sexual harassment. She later apologized, and Takahashi said he did not feel harassed.

Seiko Hashimoto takes over as Tokyo Olympic president

TOKYO (AP) — Seiko Hashimoto has appeared in seven Olympics, four in the winter and three in the summer — the most by any “multi-season” athlete in the games.

apnews.com

 

[Marco]

http://kodemari.sakuraweb.com/dt/img/photo.jpg

it wasn't just a hug.

 

[allezfred]

If the two adults concerned have determined it was not sexual harassment then that is that as far as I am concerned.

 

[Marco]

Well apparently some of the Japanese press are already using this to attack her credibility and pointing out the irony given why the former chairman stepped down.

As to how Daisuke really felt, I guess we will never know as long as he still wants to be involved in the sport in Japan. From my understanding this was neither culturally common or appropriate.

 

[allezfred]

As to how Daisuke really felt, I guess we will never know as long as he still wants to be involved in the sport in Japan. From my understanding this was neither culturally common or appropriate.

Figure skating is a separate culture. Most Japanese people don’t hug each other, but you do see Japanese skaters and their coaches do so at competitions.

 

[Judy]

I agree the Olympics has become really bloated and way too big. Fewer countries are willing to take on such a massive role hosting the Olympics.

I’ve always thought they should re-use existing Olympic sites instead of building bigger and bigger. That will never happen though.

 

[allezfred]

No overseas spectators for Tokyo Olympics.

Japan to stage Tokyo Olympics without overseas spectators

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, according to officials with the knowledge of the matter

english.kyodonews.net

 

[taz'smum]

No overseas spectators for Tokyo Olympics.

Japan to stage Tokyo Olympics without overseas spectators

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, according to officials with the knowledge of the matter

english.kyodonews.net

A wise decision!

 

[Sylvia]

No spectators likely at Olympic torch relay start | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

Organizers of the Tokyo Olympic Games are planning to launch the torch relay without spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic.

www3.nhk.or.jp

The torch relay is scheduled to kick off at the J-Village soccer training center in Fukushima Prefecture on March 25. It will take 121 days for the torch to travel across Japan's 47 prefectures.
Sources close to the organizers told NHK that they plan to keep the relay's departure event closed to the general public. They want to avoid creating crowds and instead host the relay in a safe manner, with antivirus measures fully in place.
The organizers are expected to announce the exact details of the event nearer the time, while closely monitoring the virus outbreak in Japan.

 

[canbelto]

I guess it wouldn't be an Olympic sport without a coaching abuse scandal.

Complaints of Emotional Abuse Roil Synchronized Swimming (Published 2021)

Coaches around the world in the sport, now known as artistic swimming, are facing accusations that they bullied, harassed and psychologically abused athletes.

www.nytimes.com

 

[snoopyskater]

I guess it wouldn't be an Olympic sport without a coaching abuse scandal.

Complaints of Emotional Abuse Roil Synchronized Swimming (Published 2021)

Coaches around the world in the sport, now known as artistic swimming, are facing accusations that they bullied, harassed and psychologically abused athletes.

www.nytimes.com

With all the athlete abuse, high costs of hosting, political stupidity, cheating, and more frequent viruses, the days of the Olympics may be nearing an end. Sad.