A total of 11,091 athletes from 206 countries are expected to compete in this year’s games, according to NBC Sports. To date, 6 athletes from team USA have been forced to withdraw because of a positive COVID-19 test; the tennis player Coco Gauff, the gymnast Kara Eaker, the men’s beach volleyball player Taylor Crabb, the men’s golfer Bryson DeChambeau, the men’s basketball player Bradley Beal, and the 3x3 basketball player Katie Lou Samuelson have all dropped out or been placed under health and safety protocols because of COVID-19, CNN reported. On Monday, organizers announced 16 more Olympic-related COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number since July 1 (when preliminary testing began) to 148 cases. In the opening ceremonies, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, Thomas Bach, thanked athletes for their commitment to solidarity, nondiscrimination, sport without doping, and inclusion and equality, which is reflected in the new Olympic oath.
COVID-19 Has Meant a Year Like No Other for Elite Athletes
The postponement of the 2020 Olympics has meant a year of uncertainty for athletes, says Tia Konzer, DO, a psychiatrist who specializes in sports psychology. The pandemic has been a time when none of us knew what would happen, what the future would bring, or when the illness would end, she says. “For athletes, it’s like everyone in sports was being benched or put on the injured list at the same time. No one knew what to do or how to handle it,” says Dr. Konzer. For many athletes, it’s meant tearing up the old playbook and writing a new one, as normal routines for training and competition were completely upended.
Vaccinations and Frequent Testing of Athletes Aims to Minimize Coronavirus Spread
Officials are banking on a relatively high vaccination rate and a daily testing regimen to keep the number of COVID-19 infections low. The IOC said that it expected 85 percent of athletes, coaches, and team staff staying in the Olympic Village to be vaccinated. A total of 567 out of 613 American athletes are vaccinated, according to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s medical chief, Jonathan Finnoff. “Eighty-three percent is actually a substantial number, and we’re quite happy with it,” he said, according to an AP report. That rate is significantly higher than the vaccination rate in the United States as a whole; an estimated 56 percent of Americans have gotten at least one dose, and nearly 49 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the risk of infection and severe illness due to COVID-19 is greatly reduced by the vaccine, it is still possible for vaccinated people to become infected. There have been 5,492 breakthrough COVID-19 cases among vaccinated people as of July 12, according to the CDC. That doesn’t mean the vaccine isn’t working. At a July 16 briefing, Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, reported that 99.5 percent of COVID-19 deaths occurred in unvaccinated individuals. Before athletes were able to leave for Japan, they had to submit two negative tests taken within 96 hours of departure, with at least one of those tests taken within three days of departure. A third test was administered at the airport before takeoff, according to the 2020 Olympic Playbook. Athletes, coaches, and officials must take a “rapid” or antigen test, which have been shown to be less accurate than PCR tests, especially in people without symptoms. If the results are unclear or come back positive, a PCR test is given. Performing multiple COVID-19 tests on asymptomatic and, in many cases fully vaccinated, people is not currently what CDC guidelines recommend. A positive PCR test for an athlete means isolation at a designated facility; the length of time an athlete with confirmed COVID-19 must remain in isolation depends on the severity and symptoms of their infection.
No Spectators at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Earlier this month Olympic organizers announced that spectators would be barred from most events. The decision was in response to a new state of emergency in Tokyo because of a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases, and a reversal of an earlier decision that domestic fans would be allowed at the games. On July 8, Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga cited the more contagious Delta variant as part of the reason for the rise in cases. Access to vaccines in Japan has lagged behind the United States; only 35 percent of the country’s residents have had even one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to The New York Times Vaccine Tracker.
Masks Can Be Off for ‘One Shining Moment’
On Sunday, the IOC announced a relaxation of COVID-19 precautions: Medalists can take off their masks for 30 seconds to have their photos taken. Previously, the protocol stated that all medalists had to be masked for the entire ceremony.
More Protests Expected at This Year’s Games
In previous Olympics, protests by athletes were not allowed. Before this year’s games, the regulation known as Rule 50 was relaxed to allow athletes to make gestures on the field, as long as it’s respectful toward fellow competitors and not disruptive, according to a report from Reuters. Some players and teams have pledged to take a knee before matches in a show of solidarity against discrimination and racism. IOC president Bach warned that sanctions might be imposed on athletes who protest on the podium or during the medal ceremony. The most famous Olympic protest took place in 1968 in Mexico City when the Black U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos bowed their heads and raised black-gloved fists to protest racial inequality. Both players were expelled from the team and sent home early from the games, according to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
Weather Could Impact the Tokyo Games
Tropical storm Nepartak in the Philippine Sea could delay some games, according to AccuWeather. The storm is projected to head north and then turn westward toward mainland Japan. Heavy rains and gusty winds may strike Tokyo, but organizers expect all events will continue as planned. This news comes on top of what was already expected weatherwise in Tokyo — very high heat and humidity. The average high temperature during the games is 86 to 88 degrees, but the city often has temperatures in the mid-90s. In August 2020, the temperature in central Japan tied a national record at 106 degrees, according to CNN.
New Sports in the Tokyo Olympics
Baseball and softball, karate, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing have been added to the roster of games at the Tokyo Olympics. Rugby sevens and golf debuted in Rio 2016 and return for 2020; kite surfing has been dropped. The games run through Sunday, August 8, and are being broadcast on NBC. A schedule of the competition can be found on the official Olympics website.
