Will the postponed Tokyo Olympics open despite rising opposition and the pandemic? The answer is almost certainly 'yes,' according to a senior International Olympic Committee member.
The answer is almost certainly "yes."
As an exclamation point, Australia's softball team -- the first major group of athletes from abroad to set up an Olympic base in Japan -- arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday.Start with billions of dollars at stake, a contract that overwhelmingly favors the IOC, and a decision by the Japanese government to stay the course, which might help Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga keep his job.
Though it portrays itself as a sporting league of nations, the IOC is a multi-billion dollar sports business that derives almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights. Another 18% comes from 15 top sponsors. "The Olympics are a very, very strong brand. They're a unique brand. They're a monopoly," Zimbalist said. "They are not regulated by any government. All of those things have created a sense of invulnerability, perhaps."
"Politicians may well be aware of the risk they are taking but hope that once the Games begin the Japanese public will persevere `for the good of Japan' and forget how we got here," Tonami said. Japan has had many fewer COVID-19 cases than the United States or Brazil or India. Cases have grown in the last several months but have begun to come down in the last few weeks, although worries persist about variants.
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