Godspeed and good luck
Malaysian athletes ready for the Olympics
IN about a month and a half, the Tokyo Olympics will finally get underway. Our athletes will compete with the world’s crème de la crème of sports in search of glory, both for themselves and for the nation. One of the things that unites us all as a nation is sports. It is no leap of faith then to surmise that we will all be passionately rooting for them. We look forward to our athletes doing their best for the country, despite the odds. And, what odds these were and still are.
Covid-19 has played merry hell with our lives, disrupting all things, sports included. Last year, when the Olympics had to be postponed, our athletes were left devastated. Now they are ready for the face-off in the Land of the Rising Sun. After all, getting to compete in the Olympics is one of an athlete’s biggest goals — it is a pride to just compete, whether or not one wins a medal. Malaysian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1980 Games in Moscow because of the United States-led boycott in protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In 2016, Malaysia sent 32 athletes to compete in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. This year, we are sending a smaller contingent. The International Olympic Committee has, in fact, scaled down the number of athletes and officials each country can send. Latest reports say it is capped at 70,000 athletes, trainers, officials and reporters, about half the number expected before the pandemic hit the world.
Our athletes have been training hard for a long time. Preparations are on schedule and training is following the pre-set schedules prepared. With so much going on — the pandemic, protests against the Olympics being held and calls for it to be cancelled — this is indeed welcome news. All our athletes have been vaccinated and strict preventive measures are in place for the Olympics, including barring overseas spectators. Public health experts studying the event say that rather than becoming a super-spreader event, the venues for the Olympics may be the safest places in Japan come July, given the likely high rate of vaccination among athletes and the safety measures prepared. Upon entry, Olympic arrivals will be required to submit two negative tests, a detailed activity plan and a written pledge to abide by it. Athletes and officials will be tested daily and banned from public transport in principle, while the media will be allowed on trains and buses after a 14-day quarantine. According to the Nikkei Asia portal, four test events held in early May for diving, volleyball, athletics and marathon yielded zero positive Covid-19 cases. No local infections were reported as more than 700 athletes and 6,000 staff from Japan and overseas complied with daily testing and activity restrictions. However, one positive case was detected and isolated upon arrival into the country.
Understandably there will be risks, but our athletes are aware of this and are prepared. It speaks wonders of their dedication and professionalism that they will be holding the Jalur Gemilang up high in Tokyo. And so, this Leader wishes the Malaysian Olympic delegation Godspeed and good luck. We are proud of you.
Our athletes have been training hard for a long time.