It all started with the excitement of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, until the reality of COVID-19 struck in March of 2020. For many people, sports were cancelled or postponed. The idea of having thousands of people travelling to Tokyo became an unrealistic realization. Originally, the games were announced to be held no later than summer of 2021, but this uncertainty is not good for the athletes. 

Professional athletes spend years training and planning out their seasons leading up to the Olympic trials and Olympic Games years. However, with the continuity of waves of COVID-19 and strain mutations, nothing can be certain. Although vaccines are being distributed, it could be summer or even fall of 2021 until the general public receives the vaccine, according to the US Surgeon General. By trying to guarantee a summer 2021 event, the risks of changes with the virus are uncertain. To be fair to the athletes, a safe date should be announced so they can avoid constant changes of their training schedule. 

As well as the impact it has on their training, it can be assumed that the games will be significantly decreased in attendance, if spectators are even allowed at all. The Olympic Games are a huge milestone and event for these athletes and they deserve the praise they have worked for all their life. IOC president Thomas Bach said he “has become increasingly confident that there will be fans at the Olympics next summer. But organizers have yet to announce any capacity limits, or fan attendance protocols — or whether crowds will be limited to Japanese citizens only, or if international fans can attend.” The Olympics are an international event and should be open to people from all over the world. Seeing as this event hosts thousands of guests and athletes, it is pretty hard to imagine a traditional event within the next six months. Junior Mady Agostini says, “I think the only way the Olympic Games will happen this summer is if there is no audience and all of the athletes are either vaccinated or tested consistently.” She also believes that “it is unfair to the athletes not knowing whether or not their tedious training will be a waste, especially for older athletes who this could be their last opportunity to compete.” Junior Liney Loftus thinks that they could happen because “other sports are having their events if the athletes quarantine, but it is not fair to have the uncertainty because they train for their entire career and they need to know if this competition is happening or not.”

Overall, is it unfair to have the Olympic Games this summer because there is still a chance of it not being able to happen, and if they are not able to have them this August, the games will be completely cancelled until the following games in 2024. In order to keep athletes motivated and hopeful, the some 11,000 who have “secured” their spot to the event should be guaranteed and not passed over completely because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many athletes and they deserve to have their time to shine.