The IOC maybe has started to back off a bit on its ban of taking a knee or other forms of protest: “Let the athletes’ commission and the athletes discuss it themselves and then come up with the relevant proposals.”
Somehow the fact that parts of the "establishment" are moving to allow things like kneeling during various ceremonies or other forms of support/protest seems to be somewhat diminishing to the effect of the action. Can you imagine the lack of reaction to the following if The Olympic Committee and US Sports and the "establishment in general encouraged or even allowed it: I doubt it would have had near the impact or near the deleterious effect on careers that it had if it was allowed at the time.
Resolution from yesterday: "The International Olympic Committee (IOC) condemns racism in the strongest terms. "The IOC stands for non-discrimination as one of the founding pillars of the Olympic Movement, which is reflected in the Olympic Charter, Fundamental Principle 6: "'The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.'" https://www.olympic.org/news/resolu...ive-board-with-regard-to-racism-and-inclusion Then they start Bachtracking "However, he said there needed to be a clear difference between 'such support, and potentially divisive demonstrations. We are looking forward to the input from the IOC Athletes Commission on this topic.'" - (Thomas Bach, IOC president)
Also: Simple soccer Tokyo Olympic Games to be "simplified": IOC and organisers https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/stories/news/detail/tokyo-2020-simplified-olympic-games-2021 So, the opening ceremony will cost less than $5 billion and the NBC network will reduce its ad breaks to 4,000 hours. *Both of these are fake, but you know what I mean 2016 Final: Germany v Sweden in Rio - (Minerva97, cc-by-sa)
According to the latest Kyodo poll in Tokyo 31.1 percent of respondents said the games should be simplified, including being held without spectators, 27.7 percent called for them to be canceled 24.0 percent want them to be pushed back to 2022 or beyond some background: Tokyo gubernatorial election are on 5th July - the Games issue is hot among the runners Medical startup Anges Inc. said Tuesday it has started Japan's first clinical trial on humans of a potential vaccine for the new coronavirus, aiming for government approval by the fall next year for its sale if the vaccine proves to be safe and effective.
All this merch, just waiting to be out-of-date... The IOC vice-president still says the games will go ahead regardless. A couple of other stories: Wales' players could get an unexpected chance to perform at a world finals, in the GB team. The coach Jayne Ludlow says she would have accepted the invitation when she was a player in 2012. Like in Scotland and N Ireland, the Welsh national association isn't in favour of the combined UK team but won't stand in the players' way: https://www.skysports.com/football/...b-at-tokyo-olympics-says-manager-jayne-ludlow Australia looks back at 2000, a huge moment for women's soccer there, with captain Alison Forman on The Women's Game site (Archive) For the anniversary of the Sydney games two decades ago, the Olympic Channel has put the hosts' games online too: Australia v Germany 13 Sep, Canberra olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/aus-v-ger-women-s-football-sydney-2000-replays Australia v Sweden 16 Sep, Sydney olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/aus-v-swe-women-s-football-sydney-2000-replays Australia v Brazil 19 Sep, Sydney olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/aus-v-bra-women-s-football-sydney-2000-replays (pd)
Despite it now taking place in 2021, they'll still be called "Tokyo 2020". Everything's trademarked, etc. and it costs a lot of money to change everything to "Tokyo 2021".
Happy new year everyone, it's gonna be the best 2020 Olympic year ever. Coaching doubts for Great Britain, the team's prospective manager Phil Neville might be off to the United States. I had quipped that Neville losing a game then dismissing it as a "Nonsense Game" made him prime USWNT material, but instead, he's talking to some inferior but better-paid team. "Report: David Beckham speaks with Phil Neville about Inter Miami CF coach vacancy" - (MLS) So, the Olympic team GB "might need a new manager", which some would say was already true before. The English FA announce: "Sue Campbell: Phil Neville will be Team GB coach at Tokyo Olympics if he stays" - (BBC Sport) Neville's face: Still intense (Werner100359, cc-by-sa)
Tokyo Olympics Q&A: 6 months out and murmurs of cancellation (from @AP) https://t.co/j8wxobIbFI— Stephen Wade (@StephenWadeAP) January 19, 2021 The IOC & Japan especially are hoping to hold the Olympics, albeit without fans. Longer quarantine for all athletes and athletes would leave immediately once they're done. This is all to help reduce crowding in the athlete's village.
The Japanese government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus, and the focus is now on securing the Games for the city in the next available year, 2032 https://t.co/bsuB9wMt30— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) January 21, 2021
It was bound to happen as citizens of Tokyo along with their mayor were aginst it from some time now. Support for the games was low in summer and dropped even more when 2nd and now 3rd wave of infections has hit the country. Next stop Paris 2024.
If they do get cancelled, it really will be the most disappointing for athletes of the smaller, individual sports that only really get worldwide attention at the Olympics. I mean it'll suck for the soccer players as well, but we have the World Cup that gets worldwide attention. Even though some (or even all?) of the individual sports also have a world competition, those usually doesn't get nearly the same attention. The Olympics are that event that gives those athletes a chance to compete on the world stage, make a name for themselves, and draw in sponsors. Not to mention that some won't be able to still compete come 2024.
Ok, and now there's this: Japan PM says determined to realise Olympics, will cooperate with Tokyo and IOC https://t.co/QPQKAzApGx pic.twitter.com/DJE53PqVR6— Reuters (@Reuters) January 22, 2021 The unidentified source in the other article seems to have spoken out of turn.
Conflicting reports now. Either way, a decision from Japan and the IOC will be made by the end of March.
It's quite possible that internal Japan politics are in play as well. Governor of Tokyo has high political ambitions but dealing with Olympic aftermath - infectionwise - may prove to be a nail to ones coffin.
The China-South Korea and Chile-Cameroon playoffs are scheduled for next month. No word if they are still scheduled or will be postponed. Do they wait to see if the Olympics get cancelled first before trying to get these matches in?
If there is no news that they are postponed it means that they are still scheduled. https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/olympic-games/matches/2019/2058075 https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/olympic-games/matches/2019/2058077 If the IOC says that the Olympic Games will not be cancelled why should FIFA think that they will be cancelled?
I mean... whether the Olympics are held or not, there's no downside to cancel the playoffs (aside from the costs associated with travel), and on the chance the Olympics are held, there is a huge downside to cancelling them. So I would think that they're full steam ahead, regardless of the uncertainty. Besides, these nations have been training for these playoffs for a while; even if the Olympics are cancelled, I bet most players would still want to play these games, even if they're just friendlies instead of official competitive games. And if they're friendlies, easier for individual players to opt out if they want to stick with their clubs and/or they have COVID travel concerns.
We'll surely see more mixed messages coming out before then. That's what makes this so intriguing - that so many different 'players' are involved in planning the Olympics, and trying to protect their power. Plus the addition of the pandemic, it feels almost chaotic. On the British side, the new interim England manager will be involved in the formative Team GB, with other names also mentioned for the head coach job: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55953547 From the English FA: '"If she [Hege Riise] doesn't go as head coach, she will go as assistant coach," said Baroness Sue Campbell.'
Guessing game to the Olympic Assuming the games will be held. I wanted to get a sense of the popular wisdom about who are the top contender for Olympic medal. Top tier - teams that I see reaching the semi-final 1) US (still the team to beat. I believe the old squad will have their swan song) 2) Netherland 3) Sweden 4) Japan Second Tier - Quarter-Finals (not in any specific order) 5) Brazil 6) Canada 7) GB 8) Australia