CONTROVERSIES have become a dime a dozen in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics.
First, a bribery scandal. Second, a sexist remark. Third, a body shaming.
What’s next is anybody’s guess.
At the rate the Olympiad is absorbing black-eyes, it might yet succumb to a surge of scandals instead of coronavirus infections.
Hasn’t it been postponed already from 2020 to 2021, the Games getting reset to July this year due to the pandemic?
The Tokyo Games took its first major blow when Tzunekazu Takeda, a big gun from Japan’s Olympic movement, was linked to an alleged bribery scheme in the bidding process within the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Although it was unproven, Takeda resigned—an honored tradition in Japan where a mere whiff of corruption could trigger a quick quit from a position of might.
Not quite the same if that happened in the Philippines. Sigh.
Next, Yoshiro Mori, chief of the all-too-powerful Organizing Committee of the Tokyo Olympics, accused women “of talking too much” during meetings.
Realizing, quickly, that that was a gender-sensitive remark and downright offensive to women worldwide, the 83-year-old Mori resigned irrevocably.
Not quite the same if that happened in the Philippines. Sigh.
Seiko Hashimoto, Mori’s 56-year-old lady successor who was an Olympic medalist, immediately promised to make it a “40-percent female membership” from 20 percent in the composition of the Japanese Olympic board.
And just recently, Hiroshi Sasaki, the creative director of the massively critical opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics set to open on July 23, called a ceremony performer “OlymPIG.”
Although said, obviously, in jest, Sasaki resigned immediately for “body shaming” actress Naomi Watanabe, who is on the heavy-set side, aka fat.
Not quite the same if that happened in the Philippines. Sigh.
With these scandals, coupled with the Covid-19 crisis dogging the Tokyo Games, organizers, now limping, struggle to plod on, even as record costs are also mounting.
With international fans banned, the hosts are practically straight-jacketed as to how they’d recoup local sponsorship support now pegged at a record-high $3.5 billion.
Japan has already spent $154 billion, although it could be twice as much that, according to the University of Oxford, making it the most expensive Olympics in history.
A massive loss looming in the name of sports? Sigh.
THAT’S IT If we skip the Hanoi SEA Games in November due to Covid-19 issues as being seriously considered by chef de mission Ramon Fernandez, no hard feelings. Consider: Our athletes have been almost deprived of training facilities since three of our major venues—PhilSports in Pasig and Manila’s Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and Ninoy Aquino Stadium—have been transformed into quarantine and swabbing centers. Indeed, the pandemic is no laughing matter.