Athletes don’t work from home
THIS IS the year of COVID-19, with countries taking extreme precautionary measures to protect their borders from both the known and unknown element of the virus. There have also been event cancellations and postponements as nation states battle to contain the spread of the virus and protect their citizens.
Sport has also suffered in the midst of it all. I have consistently maintained that I cannot see the Tokyo 2020 Olympics being postponed, cancelled, or moved to another host city. Many persons have challenged me on this and have insisted that with the health risks associated with COVID-19, it would be impossible to host the event. Despite that reality, I think there is just too much at stake that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese government may not be willing to risk by adjusting the Games.
Based on all indications from the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, and the Japanese government, the Games are still on target as originally scheduled. There are persons who ask me if I think our athletes should go to the Games, despite the health risks. My simple answer is that once there are no government restrictions with respect to attending the Olympics, I support any athlete who decides to go, based on all the information we have to date.
The sport, culture, and entertainment industries usually get a hard knock in these situations, and it’s easy for the average person to tell athletes not to go to these events. For the athlete, the reality is different. Yes, he or she has to evaluate the associated risks, but athletes also know that they have various monthly expenses that must be met. Sportsmen and sportswomen cannot ‘work from home’. Their income is derived from many sources, but without competing, they don’t get paid and are likely to get deductions on contracts while losing bonuses. Already, they would have been losing budgeted income by not being able to compete at various global sporting events.
The majority of our sportsmen and sportswomen are barely surviving financially and find it difficult to meet basic daily needs while training. Like us, they have monthly expenses, like coach’s fees, facility rental expenses, and agents and managers to pay, as well as regular housing rentals and/or mortgage, utilities, food, and, if possible, retirement to finance. They have to also find the money for travel for qualifying events, training, etc. It is really not easy, in many cases, for sportsmen and sportswomen to survive on a daily basis. The Government has announced assistance for Jamaican athletes in several sporting disciplines who have qualified or can qualify for the Olympics. This is great, but athletes still have to find other sources of funding.
If the Olympics goes ahead and athletes do not attend, they could possibly be forgoing their entire future and livelihood. Most athletes use the Olympics and other major events to try to post good performances to garner funding or maintain whatever funding exists. Without participating, this could ruin the chances of contracts or support from sponsors and donors. Obviously, this is not the case for everyone. Some athletes’ brands are so good, there may not be any fallout from not participating. Some may already be negotiating with their funders in case COVID-19 is too much of a risk for them to attend the Games.
Obviously, there are indeed health concerns arising from COVID-19. We all have to still monitor the situation, but most sportsmen and sportswomen I know are waiting with bated breath to get out there, train, and compete once it is safe to do so, even if it means being quarantined upon return to the island. I would still encourage each of them to follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization and our Ministry of Health and Wellness. I am not suggesting that they should disobey. Just know that if the Games are on and there are no prohibitions from a government standpoint, I support them if they decide to attend and participate.
We are not sure what will happen in the next six months or so, but already, we know that several athletes, like other persons in the culture and entertainment industries, are losing income now. Spare a thought for them, and let’s give them as much support as possible in their Olympic and sporting dreams.