I've taken this seriously since I heard about it. Supported the initial flight ban to and from danger areas, even though I'm not a Trump supporter (my instinct isn't also to be blindly against anything he does either because look at the potential cost). That said, I would think if anything it would be safer for the tournament to continue, just without fans. There were likely going to be sparse crowds anyways, or if there weren't maybe that's the actual reasoning for the suspension. But as far as the players go, they could just set up an Olympic village which acts as a de facto quarantine, and then go play the games at one facility. Less chance that they themselves would get it or transfer it to more vulnerable people in the next few weeks. Would have medical monitoring on hand (in SK they have death rate down to .7% w/ less intensive support) unlike if they were at home and around the city.
The problem is the coaches, assistant coaches, training, physios, other medical personnel, etc. are not all very fit men in their 20s. Also, to keep them isolated from friends and family for the needed time would be expensive. And a bit pointless, since it's very unlikely the Olympic Games happen in the end. Japan is remaining cocky only because they haven't been hit hard yet. But it's coming their way, too. And ours. PS: Mortality rate is taken using only resolved cases, not just all cases, since those who are still sick you cannot know whether they'll recover or die. In South Korea, so far they have 333 recovered patients and 66 dead. That's a 16.5% mortality rate. Similar to the rest of the world, outside China (62,826 recovered, 3,169 dead, for a mortality rate of 4.8%) and Italy (1,258 recovered, 1,016 dead, for a mortality rate of 44.7%).
I’m old enough to remember when the 2009 U17 WCQ in Tijuana got cancelled after the group stage because of the swine flu outbreak. However, the winners of each group had already booked their WC ticket for winning their respective groups when it was cancelled.
This is not the Swine Flu pandemic. To get that one, you needed to be sneezed on or share drinks. This one, enough for a person to be sick with it, not even coughing, for most people in the building to also get it. And the flu virus does not survive on fomites. That's another thing they're not telling you: cold viruses DO survive on fomites for hours: metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, leather. I just caught this one: https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-live-plastic-stainless-steel-for-up-to-3-days A new study suggests that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 can remain in the air for up to three hours, and live on surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to three days. The research, published in the medRxiv depository, also notes that the virus can remain on copper surfaces for four hours and carboard for up to 24 hours. The research found it could stay on stainless steel and plastic for anywhere between two and three days. "Our results indicate that aerosol and fomite transmission of HCoV-19 is plausible, as the virus can remain viable in aerosols for multiple hours and on surfaces up to days," the researchers wrote in the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Obviously still a developing situation, but as of now... Tokyo Olympics will go ahead, says Japan's PM Shinzo Abe, despite coronavirus concerns https://t.co/0FkFXqfNHp pic.twitter.com/P9qnrId19B— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 14, 2020
I think that within days we're going to find out that the Olympics have been delayed. Apparently, the members of the IOC are having a conference call tomorrow. Yes, the Olympics aren't until late July. Federations, sponsors, etc. need to know now, though. Having tens of thousands of people from all over the world go to one of the most densely populated cities on earth.....................seems like the absolute, polar opposite of "social distancing," though. What's happening in Italy right now should really, really scare folks. They've had 700 deaths in the last two days Hello? That situation is what's led to the drastic measures taken over the last several days in the US. Boston, where I live, is essentially shut down. Like............shut down, shut down. Staging the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as Planned Seems Unrealistic https://www.si.com/olympics/2020/03/16/olympics-tokyo-2020-coronavirus-postponement-likely
The Olympics might still happen but they ain't happening in July. Most of the athletes can't train together right now. When will the Olympic team trials for so many of these sports happen and how much time in advance of the Olympics will there be? And who knows what the pro league schedules will look like and how that will impact athlete availability in many sports. Can easily see this being pushed to summer of 2021. But if they still go on in 2020, odds of most of the top players being released for soccer are slimmer than they were before the pandemic started.
Once this is over the world economy will be a shambles and we're going to need a lot longer than a year to recover. Japan is still about 10 days from hitting the bump, too. That's when their tune is going to change. Everybody's brave until the bump hits.
Ultimately, though, its not Japan's decision. Its the IOC's decision. The IOC is headquartered in Switzerland. They declared a state of emergency yesterday after seeing a spike in cases. Western Europe has basically shut down over the last couple of days after witnessing what's happened in Italy. Germany, France, Spain, etc. are locked down. Yesterday France banned all family and social gatherings. They're taking extreme measures. We in the US aren't at that point yet. The notion that these folks at the IOC won't also delay the Olympics is a little pie-in-the-sky to me. Of course they are. They're not worried about pole vaulters at the moment. Anyway, I think we're all in agreement here. The Olympics are going to be postponed. I expect it'll be delayed until the summer of 2021. The implications will be interesting. I'm bored, so I'll happily speculate on that hypothetical scenario. Will they keep the same 1997 age cut off? Then it'll be a U24 tournament! Or will they keep it a U23 tournament, and essentially move the age group to 98s! Just for the sake of something to do during these boring times...……………….what is our "best domestic team" of 98s and younger?
I don't think the whole world can shelter in place for a 18 months until there is a vaccine. July-August might be a perfect time to have the Olympics; there is some hope that seasonality will effect the epidemic. If they move it to 2021, they would probably drop soccer as the Euros, Gold Cup, and U20 WC will all be happening probably. If they do have the Olympics, no professional players near a first team will be released as the club seasons, if not cancelled, will probably be going until mid-July. MLS will be playing 3 games a week most likely.
Basically the same with the 97's but without Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, EPB, and JT Marcinkowski.
This is about to get really interesting. It'll be interesting to see when the qualifying tournament is scheduled. If its a year from now...…………...a lot can happen to a player pool in a year. Even if they keep it at '97s, we basically start over. Whenever the qualifying tournament is rescheduled to, it won't be the same 20 that were just selected.
I think the trickiest part in a year is that the team would have even more holdouts. Guys like Paxton Pomykal, Reggie Cannon, James Sands, Brendan Aaronson, and Miles Robinson could all be in Europe which would cause likely denials for call ups. While these players in Europe would be expected to break into first teams and also be denied call ups: Richie Ledezma, Uly Llanez, Chris Gloster, and EPB (would become a centerpiece to his team). We would be reduced to playing with our 4th string players or pulling younger guys up who would get bullied by older players of other countries.
How sports will be after the summer: I'm SO sorry for this. I really don't wanna go to hell. 😂🦠 #coronavirusmemes pic.twitter.com/GzAXYngPQw— Mostly_Introverted_ (@sleepyhester) March 13, 2020
according to Ben Fischer (Olympics reporter for the Sports Business Journal so he's legit) that all of the people he's talked to are indicating that a one year delay for the olympics is likely happening. If qualifying happens a year from now this could actually be very bad for us as we would have even more key players be withheld from the team because they would be too valuable for their clubs.
Who knows? Its the same for Mexico, Costa Rica, and our biggest competition................... What I do know is that the summer of 2021 is jam-packed already. There's a 2021 Gold Cup in July, 2021 U20 World Cup in June, plus I imagine all sorts of important USMNT games starting up (WCQing?)................and it sounds like both the Euros, Euro U21s, and Copa America are now going to happen in 2021 as well. We can just speculate on how the US U23s (who will be U24s if they keep the cut off at 97s)................fit into that schedule. Cuz our elite U24s next season will mostly be USMNTers at the Gold Cup. Reggie Cannon and company. It'll be interesting.
Well...…………..this is awkward. CONCACAF is the only region that hasn't selected its participants. https://www.si.com/olympics/2020/03/17/tokyo-olympics-still-on-ioc-meeting-decision-coronavirus The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday that the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games will be held as planned in July despite the spread of the coronavirus pandemic worldwide.
It is scheduled for July right? That gives CONCACAF May-June for qualifying. If that's not doable the Olympics will be cancelled or postponed anyway.
Its impossible for the Olympics are going to happen this summer. Copa America and the Euros have already been pushed back to 2021. Its just a matter of time. By the way, none of our players are training or playing anyway. MLS is completely shut down until the end of April, and they'll revisit that again. Our Euro-based players are very likely done for the year.
Depending on how things turn out by early April, every time you see "postponed" start thinking "cancelled."