Should the Tokyo Olympics be cancelled?
Probably. But with just a few days until the Opening Ceremonies, that’s extremely unlikely.
The 2021 Summer Games are happening—but it’s not a completely foolish decision from a public health perspective.
As the world races to squash variants and vaccinate seven billion people, the Olympic Games pose a unique opportunity. As divisions emerge between wealthy countries with ample vaccine supplies and less developed countries with vaccination rates in the single digits, the Summer Games are an opportunity for the world to be unified in action.
While hosting an international event seems like the worst possible thing to do during a global pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics can be a public health tool to encourage global unity as nations struggle to work together to vaccinate the world. Many have realized the necessity of establishing firm and effective public health protocols as a result of recent events.
Past Olympic Games have promoted culture and peace. The 2021 Tokyo Olympics offer a unique opportunity to encourage not just culture and peace but also public health awareness and global unity.
Cultural Importance of the Olympics and Paralympics
Cultural festivals known as the “Culture Olympiad” go hand-in-hand with the sporting events. Hosting cultural competitions alongside sporting events is an Ancient Greek tradition that was incorporated in the modern Olympics in 1904. These festivals begin four years in advance and are hosted with the goal of encouraging international unity and cultural awareness. The importance of the Culture Olympiad is especially notable because of the competitive nature of the sporting events, which are used as an opportunity for participating countries to display national strength and highlight economic disparity.
Due to the global nature of the Olympic Games, we experience an irreplaceable moment of unity of thought and emotion among incredibly diverse and different peoples. No other sporting event can stir up as much of a universal and passionate response as the Olympic Games do.
The Olympics and Paralympics are multicultural events that give people from vastly different cultures and backgrounds the opportunity to connect and learn about each other. They allow for the international integration of religion, customs, traditions, languages, behavior and an overall mixing of cultures. Most importantly, the Olympics are a beacon of hope and an incredible opportunity for unity in a time of great prejudice and separation—both in body and mind.
Importance to the Host Country
While the Olympic Games drain the host country’s finances with costs from 22 million USD to 21.9 billion USD, they also significantly increase tourism. This increase in tourists can help boost local economies, encourage global trade and help the country grow in international stature. Hosting the Olympic Games also provides the opportunity to fund and develop lasting infrastructure and investment.
However, the financial benefits of hosting the Olympic Games vary case-by-case, even within the same host country. For example, the Nagano, Japan 1988 Winter Olympics concluded with the Nagano Organizing Committee showing a $28 million USD surplus, while other units of the Japanese government were left $11 billion USD in debt. With bids to host costing up to $100 million USD, security costs growing and construction costs higher than projected (London 2012 was projected to be less than $4 billion USD and ended up costing around $14.8 billion USD), many countries are left with the question of if there is a more sustainable way to increase economic gain.
Culturally speaking, the Olympic Games serve as an opportunity for host countries to project a new, updated version of their country to the rest of the world. It allows them to show their growth and reshape their international image into a more positive one. For example, the Tokyo Olympics was meant to give Japan the opportunity to showcase Japanese culture in a new light and celebrate their resilience in recovering from the devastation of their 2011 earthquake.
Concerns of the Citizens
This is not to say, however, that Japanese citizens are pleased with hosting the Olympics during COVID-19. Japan has sustained relatively low case numbers of COVID-19 through most of the year. However, their exceedingly slow rollout of vaccinations has left many concerned as only about 22 percent of the country is fully vaccinated (as of July 19). This, in conjunction with a new wave of infections and the Delta variant, has led to a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
The vaccination rules for foreign Olympic athletes has also led to a great deal of discussion and issue. Athletes come from countries in varying stages of growth and therefore have differing access to vaccines. While Pfizer and BioNTech have offered to donate vaccines for all Olympic athletes, this doesn’t ensure all athletes receive vaccines. This is due to the fact that it is non-mandatory to be vaccinated before participating, meaning athletes can make the decision. Some athletes may choose not to be vaccinated because of concerns about possible effects on performance or ethical concerns about receiving the vaccine before those most vulnerable and in need. There are also possible age restrictions, as adolescents between 15 and 17 years of age can’t be vaccinated in most countries and children younger than 15 are unable in even more.
A majority of Japanese citizens are displeased with the decision to continue with the Tokyo Olympics; nearly two-thirds of Japanese voters polling on June 21 that it should be postponed or cancelled. Even the Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association, representing about 6,000 doctors, called for the Games to be cancelled.
With the world’s focus on the situation in Tokyo, the issues regarding COVID-19 protocols are gaining more attention from the general public.
Future Public Health Norms
How will the 2021 Olympics affect public health measures at major events going forward?
Many argue that the recent restriction of nearly all spectators may have been avoided with better awareness and management of COVID-19 health protocols. The decision itself, however, serves as a turning point. This decision, made regardless of incredible economic and financial loss, marks the beginning of a new era. Public health and safety are expected to be a top priority. How this year’s Olympic Games proceed will serve as an indicator of what changes should be made to upcoming events, as well as what public health norms will look like in the future.
Hosting an international event seems like the worst thing to do in the middle of a global pandemic. However, the Tokyo Olympics can be a public health tool to encourage global unity and vaccine access for all countries. As we watch the Olympics in the coming weeks, let the Games be a reminder of our goal to vaccinate the world, not just the wealthiest nations.
Feel free to contact me at cho.katie@outlook.com
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