Early Takeaways on the Olympics

With the opening ceremony last Friday, the 2020(1) Olympics got underway. The ceremony itself was weird. Nobody was in the crowd except for the countries diplomats and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) members. No parents or fans were allowed, but the politicians of all of these different countries could go. That seems in direct conflict with the message that all of these countries are trying to sell. Do as we say, not as we do. But that’s a whole different article.

The IOC has a large list of rules for all athletes to follow. Some of which seem to have gone by the wayside.

They are to be checked and tested often. This is a given, as have all of the other athletic contests that have happened in the recent past. I think it has become commonplace for athletes these days to be tested daily.

They are not to become tourists when they are not competing. They may only leave their accommodations to go to official Games venues and limited additional locations as defined by the list of permitted destinations.

They must wear masks almost all the time. Unless they are eating, drinking, sleeping, training, or competing, athletes are expected to be masked.

All of those rules were pretty much to be expected, I think.

The one rule that seems to have been thrown out the window completely is the rule that states athletes can’t hug or high five. I see this happening all over the place. And I don’t see a problem with it.

The athletes are tested daily. The cases that they have had at the Olympics, I believe, were brought in while the athletes were in transit to the Olympics. Not while they were there.

You can’t tell me that basketball players banging into each other on the court is ok, but two teammates giving each other a high five is not allowed. It’s ok for two athletes to wrestle each other on the mat, but two ping pong players have to touch paddles instead of a handshake after the match.

I do believe that there are some rule makers that are in dire need of a cranial enema.

Now for the competitions themselves.

Some venues don’t seem any different whether fans are allowed or not. The shooting, archery, ping pong, badminton, and handball competitions seem to be normal to me. It’s the bigger venues like the basketball and swimming arenas that you notice the loss of fans the most. The athletes are having to build their own adrenaline rush that they would normally get from the crowd. I can’t imagine what the track and field events are going to be like with no fans.

A couple of other venues that the lack of a crowd is really noticeable is the skateboard and beach volleyball arenas. They always feel like a party atmosphere. Now they are just quiet.

The competition has been pretty good for the most part. Lots of good games across the board. Athletes are doing their very best. There have been a few upsets, such as in the women’s road race for bicycles. It’s not too often that you see the person finishing second, celebrating like they just won the gold medal because they didn’t realize there was someone that finished two minutes ahead of them.

I’m not exactly sure what to think about the men’s basketball team. They are getting beat by everyone. Even in the games leading up to the Olympics, they were getting beat. Is it because they just got done with a long season? Or just too many huge egos on the floor that don’t know how to play team ball? I’m betting on the latter.

I’m glad that the athletes are finally able to compete. It may not be what they are used to, but nothing is these days.