No Escaping the COVID Cloud

We all knew that COVID was going to hover over these Olympics.  There was no way for it not to!  The only question was how much.  Well, from the empty stands to the masks everywhere to the athletes being forced to withdraw, COVID is definitely still leaving its mark on what will forever be known as the "COVID Olympics."

I will say this, though, it's had little to no impact on the quality of competition.  That's such a huge credit to the athletes.  We really had no idea how much they'd be affected by all of the protocols, but, despite all that, they've still put on the type of show we typically expect to see every four (or five) years.  In fact, we've heard more athlete complaints about the heat than anything COVID-related.

When they unveiled all of the "playbooks" and outlined the procedures that would be used if an athlete tested positive, my greatest fear was that an athlete or team would have to be withdrawn from a quarterfinal or semifinal and lose their opportunity for a medal because they tested positive in the middle of their event.  Fortunately that hasn't happened.  There have been positive tests and some athletes have had to withdraw as a result, but those positives all happened before that athlete's competition began.  It's little consolation to them, of course, but it is proof that the IOC's COVID protocols are working.

In some cases, the athlete's positive test came early enough that they were able to be replaced.  This happened on the U.S. women's 3x3 basketball team, where Jackie Young got the call to replace Katie Lou Samuelson...and ended up winning a gold medal!  Likewise, U.S. beach volleyball player Taylor Crabb tested positive when he landed in Tokyo, so Tri Bourne became Jake Gibb's partner instead.  Same thing in golf.  Bryson DeChambeau tested positive before he left, giving Patrick Reed a chance to go to his second Olympics.  Hopefully there's enough time for men's pole vault alternate Matt Ludwig to get to Tokyo and take Sam Kendricks' place in the competition.

Unfortunately, the Czech women's beach volleyball team didn't have a substitute for Marketa Slukova ready to go, so they had to forfeit all three of their matches.  Other individual athletes have had to withdraw, too, having to give up their Olympic dream because of a positive COVID test.  But it seems like the daily testing of all athletes has achieved its purpose...to prevent an entire competition being disrupted.

Daily COVID testing is just one of the many things athletes have had to adjust to.  They also have to wear masks everywhere and can't mingle with athletes from other sports/teams/countries in the way they normally would.  I will say, though, it's great to see them attending the other sessions in their sport when not competing.  I was hoping that would be the case.  Because, even though the public's not there, having people in the stands at least creates some sort of atmosphere.

And, I've gotta admit, the video chats between the athletes and their loved ones have actually been a cool little feature (that otherwise wouldn't have been possible or necessary).  I was a little skeptical at first.  I thought it would come off as cheesy.  It's actually been just the opposite.  It's authentic.  They can't share the moment the way they otherwise would've, but they still get to share it with them.

Thanks to so many athletes who've posted photos and videos on social media, we've gotten a glimpse of what life is like in the Olympic Village.  (BTW, the view from the Village is absolutely breathtaking!)  And it seems like they still get some of that Village camaraderie.  I was worried that might not be the case.  There are far fewer people moving around than there otherwise would be, but Olympic Village life doesn't seem to be as restrictive as many feared.

Likewise, a lot of athletes wanted to go to the Opening Ceremony but couldn't...and can't go to the Closing Ceremony either!  That's because they're being extremely strict with the amount of time they're allowed to be in Japan.  They can only arrive a few days before their event and have to leave within 48 hours of the finals.  We saw far fewer athletes marching in the Opening Ceremony as a result, and I'd imagine athlete attendance at the Closing Ceremony will be even lower than that (a lot of athletes leave before the Closing Ceremony anyway).

The masks on the medals stand are definitely an odd sight, too.  It's been a year and a half and I'm still somewhat confused about masking protocols.  It just doesn't make much sense to me that they can compete without masks, but have to put them on immediately after they're done, even though they're gonna have far more close contact with each other during the competition.  Then they still have to wear the mask during a medals ceremony with the same people they just competed against maskless!  But I will give the IOC credit for at least letting the athletes take their masks off for the pictures with their medals.

At the medal ceremonies, the athletes have to put on their medals themselves, which is also a weird thing to see.  Except in team events, they're not doing that.  One athlete is taking the medal and putting it around their teammate's neck and vice versa (or down the line for teams of more than two).  I'm not sure what team started doing it, but others have followed.  And I love it!

None of this, of course, has stopped the "these Olympics shouldn't even be happening" crowd from continuing to make noise (psst...we're almost halfway through, so that ship has most definitely sailed).  They keep citing the rising daily case numbers in Japan and are ready to blame the Olympics for what they anticipate is an inevitable spike.  (Again, I don't see how that would be possible when the Olympians and the public are being kept separate, but that's a whole separate argument.)  But the athletes have made the most of the situation.

These, hopefully, will be the only COVID Olympics (although I have a feeling February's Winter Games in Beijing will be, as well).  By the time the world gathers for the next Summer Olympics three years from now in Paris, COVID will hopefully be in our rear view mirrors and we can go back to the Olympics we're used to (and Tokyo expected).  Which means all of these pandemic-caused changes could be as much of a one-off as karate.

That's not to say all of these changes have been entirely bad, though.  Just like in all other aspects of life, the pandemic gave the Olympics a chance to rethink how to do some things.  And I wouldn't be surprised if some of them stick around.