Let the Games Begin

Every four years, nations put aside political differences and gather together to watch thousands of the best athletes from around the globe compete in the Summer Olympic Games. But this year’s Olympics, set to begin in Tokyo, Japan, on July 23, carry an additional significance.

If the Games go on during the pandemic, as organizers intend, it will be “a signal of hope and resilience to all humankind,” says International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

They were originally slated for last year but were postponed because of Covid-19. With the coronavirus still spreading, officials have implemented several safety protocols. Foreign spectators will be barred, some countries are prioritizing vaccinating Olympic athletes, and Olympic officials have announced that they’ll provide competitors with vaccines made in China.

Still, many health experts remain concerned about holding such a large event, and around 80 percent of people in Japan want the Olympics postponed again or canceled altogether, according to recent polls.

But there are economic reasons for going forward with the Games. Japan has already spent more than $25 billion on the Olympics, much of which has gone to building new stadiums, and the event would bring in billions from TV deals and sponsorships as well as publicity to Japan.

Amid all the uncertainty, there’s no doubt about one thing: This summer’s Olympics—if it takes place—is shaping up to be unlike any other in history. Here are some stories to follow.

Every four years, nations put aside political differences and gather together to watch thousands of the best athletes from around the globe compete in the Summer Olympic Games. This year’s Olympics are set to begin in Tokyo, Japan, on July 23. The event will be even more significant.

Organizers hope the Games will go on during the pandemic. If they do, it will be “a signal of hope and resilience to all humankind,” says International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

They were originally slated for last year but were postponed because of Covid-19. With the coronavirus still spreading, officials have put several safety protocols in place. Foreign spectators won’t be allowed. Some countries are prioritizing vaccinating Olympic athletes. And Olympic officials have announced that they’ll provide competitors with vaccines made in China.

Still, many health experts remain concerned about holding such a large event. And around 80 percent of people in Japan want the Olympics postponed again or canceled altogether, according to recent polls.

But there are economic reasons for going forward with the Games. Japan has already spent more than $25 billion on the Olympics. Much of that money has gone to building new stadiums. The event also would bring in billions from TV deals and sponsorships as well as publicity to Japan.

This summer’s Olympics face a great deal of uncertainty. They might not even take place. Still, few would disagree that they’re shaping up to be unlike any other Games in history. Here are some stories to follow.

Jagger Eaton, 20, is no stranger to the spotlight. When the skateboarder from Mesa, Arizona, was 11 years old, he set a world record as the youngest person to compete in the X Games. Now he’s vying for the chance to go where no skateboarder has gone before: the Olympics.

Skateboarding is one of four new sports at the Games—along with surfing, sport climbing, and karate. In addition, baseball and softball are returning after being absent from the past few Olympics. Eaton says representing his country in the first-ever Olympic skateboarding competition would be “one of the biggest honors I could ever have.” Even though the pandemic temporarily shut down many skate parks, he’s kept his focus on one thing.

“I don’t go into any contest thinking about anything but a gold medal,” he says. “And that’s exactly what I’m going for.”

Jagger Eaton, 20, is no stranger to the spotlight. The skateboarder from Mesa, Arizona, set a world record as the youngest person to compete in the X Games. He was only 11 years old at the time. Now he’s vying for the chance to go where no skateboarder has gone before: the Olympics.

Skateboarding is one of four new sports at the Games. The other three are surfing, sport climbing, and karate. And baseball and softball are returning after being absent from the past few Olympics. Eaton says representing his country in the first-ever Olympic skateboarding competition would be “one of the biggest honors I could ever have.” Even though the pandemic temporarily shut down many skate parks, he’s kept his focus on one thing.

“I don’t go into any contest thinking about anything but a gold medal,” he says. “And that’s exactly what I’m going for.”

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_{^{*Refugee status is given to people who have had to flee their homelands because of persecution or other threats to their lives.}}

One nation that’s usually a dominant force at the Olympics will be missing this year: Russia. It’s the second Olympics in a row from which the country has been banned because of a scandal involving doping—the use of performance-enhancing drugs (P.E.D.’s), such as anabolic steroids.

It all dates back to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In the lead-up to those Games, Russian coaches and government officials secretly administered P.E.D.’s to hundreds of athletes. They also covered up positive test results so athletes wouldn’t get caught cheating.

Russia went on to win the most medals at that Olympics but was later barred from the 2018 Winter Olympics—becoming the first nation to be banned from the Games for doping. Russia then failed to fully cooperate with an investigation into its doping program, leading to the current ban.

Russian athletes who’ve never been caught cheating will still be allowed to compete in Tokyo. But their flag and national anthem will be barred, and any medals they win won’t count for Russia.

One nation that’s usually a dominant force at the Olympics will be missing this year: Russia. It’s the second Olympics in a row that the country hasn’t been allowed to participate in. It was banned because of a scandal involving doping—the use of performance-enhancing drugs (P.E.D.’s), such as anabolic steroids.

It all dates back to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In the lead-up to those Games, Russian coaches and government officials secretly gave P.E.D.’s to hundreds of athletes. They also covered up positive test results so athletes wouldn’t get caught cheating.

Russia went on to win the most medals at that Olympics but was later barred from the 2018 Winter Olympics. It became the first nation to be banned from the Games for doping. Russia then failed to fully cooperate with an investigation into its doping program. That led to the current ban.

Russian athletes who’ve never been caught cheating will still be allowed to compete in Tokyo. But their flag and national anthem will be barred, and any medals they win won’t count for Russia.