The format of a My Take is 150 words – no more, no less – to express an opinion on a different topic each week. The topic this week was the Olympics.
The Olympic Games in Tokyo have already turned into a disaster. There is a surge of COVID-19 cases in Japan, and many athletes have refused to participate due the pandemic.
And tensions between the host country and the International Olympic Committee are high. The situation is far from ideal, and honestly, it probably should have been cancelled last year.
What has struck me throughout this entire ordeal is the sheer power of the IOC. Japan objected to the Games, pleading to suspend or cancel the event. The IOC ignored them.
There is money at play here. An unfathomable amount of money, reaching into the billions. But how can you put an entire population at risk, including thousands of athletes?
The IOC apparently has no problem strong-arming an entire country. I wonder if countries will think twice before making a bid in the future.
