Note: This article was originally written for a local newsletter prior to the 2008 Olympics. I updated it to reflect the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo will host the Olympic Games this summer for the second time (1964, the first). It’s been eight years of planning and billions of dollars to bring them to fruition. But no host city has faced a worldwide pandemic, the first postponement in Olympic history, and the majority of its citizens against holding the Olympics now. Attendance will be limited to Japanese spectators, or possibly no fans at all. The 2020 Games have been on the brink of cancelation, but as of this writing are still on.
In 1960 it was Rome’s turn. I recently read a book entitled Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World. The Rome Olympics were the first to be commercially broadcast, which highlighted the athletes, as well as the burning social and Cold War issues of the time. As much as the Games are about sports, the world’s stage is too tempting to ignore for making a political statement. Some of the most indelible images of the last century are from the Olympics: Adolph Hitler watching Jesse Owens in Berlin, the protest on the medal stand in Mexico City, and the tragedy in Munich. Over the years, doping scandals, increasing commercialism, boycotts, IOC corruption, and sexual abuse have seriously damaged the Olympic ideals. And now hosting the Olympics during a once-in-a-century global pandemic.
But the ideals have endured. It’s remarkable that the essence of the Olympics continues to shine on the world every two years. No other event draws representatives from over 200 countries to gather in one place. The Olympics foster a unifying international spirit, if however brief.
The Games begin with the pageantry of the Opening Ceremonies. We’re not sure what they’ll look like this time, but usually it’s quite a spectacle. The Parade of Nations is a great family geography lesson and the entrance of Team USA, a patriotic moment. And, is there a more symbolic moment in sports than the lighting of the Olympic flame; Muhammad Ali lighting the flame in Atlanta in 1996, just to name one. Then it’s on to the competition. Can Simone Biles lead the lady gymnasts to gold again? Can Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel anchor the swim team to hold off the powerful Aussies? Can Allyson Felix medal on the track once more in her fifth Olympics? That’s just to name a few of the elite athletes. What unknown athletes will capture the world’s attention this time? Also, there are five new sports: surfing, skateboarding, karate, sport climbing, and baseball/softball are back for the first time since 2008. After the competition, the flame is extinguished and passed on to the next Olympic host; this time Beijing, just a short six months away.
I’m an Olympics super fan, but I’ll admit I’m not as excited about them as I usually am three weeks before they kick off. Maybe this isn’t the time to hold an international event? Limited, or no fans, will certainly reduce the excitement level. The athletes won’t have the same wonderful experience of camaraderie in the Olympic Village, due to COVID restrictions. But, I know I’ll be watching and rooting for Tokyo to pull it off under these unprecedented circumstances. Once they start on July 23rd, I’ll be glued to the TV until August 8th. I can hear us now with the “did you see that last night” day-after conversations. There will undoubtedly be memorable moments of, as the late Jim McKay used to say, “the human drama of athletic competition.” That’s what the Olympics are all about, and hey, they might just change the world.
Trivia ? – What is the only city to host the Olympics three times? Bonus points for the years.
Answer: London hosted the Summer Olympics in 1908, 1948, and 2012 (Paris and Los Angeles will join this company in 2024 and 2028, respectively).