The Olympics Delay as an Opportunity for Preparation and Recovery

The Tokyo Olympics delay to 2021 could be what Japan and the IOC, International Olympics Committee, need for preparation, and recovery from the ravages of COVID-19. The postponement of the Olympics and the Paralympics was a catastrophe for the games. Still, the 2021 push could now be a chance for all the relevant organizations to prepare and recover their investment. The players and national teams will also get an opportunity to prepare more and sharpen their play. Practice makes perfect, and the Olympics delay could be a way for teams and players to prepare.

2020: A Year of Tumult

2020 has been a year of tumult, and instead of wallowing in the postponement of the Olympics, Tokyo should take it as an opportunity to see it host the games successfully. The Olympics and its hosting in Tokyo, Japan, saw a multi-billion dollar investment in the city and Japan.

Numerous stadiums were erected, and others renovated to ensure that the games would be held in up-to-standard venues and locations. The preparations were also underway in hotels and accommodation facilities, both private and public, to ensure that the millions of visitors who attend the event would be accommodated. All these preparations cost money and had seen investments in numerous sectors in preparation for the 2020 Olympics.

All is Not Lost and Stakeholders Should Not be Discouraged

A postponement of the Olympics to 2021 should not be a discouragement, and all the relevant sectors should still gear up preparations and ensure that they are ready to host the games come 2021. Numerous t-shirts, clothing, and other merchandise may have to be reprinted, but in my view, the 2021 games could still use 2020 branded merchandise.

It would be wasteful to throw away all the 2020-labeled merchandise and source new merchandise and reprint it. There will also be the need to cushion Olympics workers and support teams to ensure that they can effectively earn some income, even after postponement, as the world waits for 2021. It would be detrimental to fire the Olympics staff only to hire other staff members next year.

There’s Still A Chance for Economic Recovery Once the Games Go Ahead

The Olympics in 2021 will be a chance for economic recovery for Tokyo and Japan as a whole. It will be an opportunity for the city and the country to incur a return on investment and to welcome the world to the 2021 Olympics. The administrators of Tokyo and all other Olympic locations, venues, and facilities should do their best to prepare as much as possible for the global games.

Stakeholders Should Take the Extra Time to Better their Product and Service Offerings

They should take the extra time and the delay as an opportunity to better their product and service offerings. The government of Japan should also ensure that it has all the legal documentation and licensure done for the numerous businesses and vendors who will serve the Olympic crowds. This includes ensuring that the facilities and venues, both owned by the public and private sectors, have all they need in terms of legislation to host Olympic crowds.

The Olympics Delay as an Opportunity for the Betterment of Health Facilitation and COVID-19 Preventative Measures

Further preparations should also be done regarding health and the facilitation of COVID-19 containment measures and prevention. Tokyo and Japan’s health infrastructure should be ready to contain a COVID-19 outbreak and without even waiting for one, sensitize players, teams, and guests to take preventative measures. There is a likelihood that a vaccine may not be ready for COVID-19 by July 25th, 2021. The Tokyo 2021 Olympics are slated to begin on July 25th, 2021, and close on 8th August. There is, therefore, ample time for preparation from both the hosts and the participating teams and players.