Fan exclusion at the Olympics: Japan had another choice

The games in Tokyo are now taking place without a spectator – the organizers sell the decision as no alternative. It is the result of a completely wrong corona crisis management.

“We had no other choice,” said Seiko Hashimoto, head of the Olympic organization, who appeared to be bent, when she announced what was to be expected after the past few weeks: the Olympic Games in Tokyo will be the first ghost games in history. Neither fans from abroad, nor a maximum of 10,000 Japanese, not even 5000, no, nobody is allowed to be live at the world’s largest sports event. Except in front of the television, of course.

But did the organizers really have no choice? Have you tried everything to organize the Olympic Games in a setting that is especially worthy of the athletes, despite a pandemic? I don’t think so.

Fan exclusion result of mismanagement

The exclusion of viewers, which of course does not apply to sponsors, IOC members and other VIPs, is the result of a completely wrong management of the corona crisis in the host country itself. The virus is a force of nature – Japan cannot do anything about that. But even one and a half years after the outbreak of the pandemic and knowing that such a major event is in front of you, you still have no real plan to protect your own population – that is the omission that is now being carried out on the back of the athletes. It is they who have to do without the support they deserve in the most important competition of their lives.

Because that would have been possible, with a few rules of course and certainly not as unrestrainedly as in some cases at the European Football Championship – if Japan weren’t the industrialized country with the worst vaccination campaign in the world. If, in addition to the constant wearing of cloth masks, other useful tools that are also available in Japan for fighting pandemics were used consistently: self-tests, quick tests, FFP2 masks or contact tracking apps. And above all: if vaccinations were to take place faster.

Bars and nightlife areas are jam-packed

Instead, it is better to lie to yourself. Please close restaurants at 8 p.m. and stop serving alcohol after 7 p.m. The truth is, the restaurants and bars in nightlife areas like Shibuya are jam-packed. Karaoke, dinner in large groups, after-work beer until you drop – anything goes. Going to a baseball game with friends in the crowded subway at the weekend – no problem. That there are almost 15,000 spectators instead of the permitted 5000 – oh no matter. Nobody controls anyway.

Yes, Japan is also tired of pandemics, and it is also and especially the people in the capital who are entitled to think of something other than Corona. But this is how the next wave of infections rolls in – in good time before the games. And only the Japanese take care of that themselves.

The population is not in the mood for the Olympics

A large part of the population did not want to go to the Olympics. It’s also just more convenient to point your finger at the others: the foreigners, the athletes, the journalists, all of whom come to the country. You are to blame if the corona numbers rise. With all understandable fears of the virus: A little self-criticism can sometimes do no harm.

But where should it come from? Japan’s Prime Minister Suga is a wonderful way to distract attention from his government’s mistakes. After all, it is he who is fully committed to protecting his people from Corona because he bans spectators at the Olympics. Guaranteed to be well received, right before the autumn elections.

Japan had another choice

But Suga and many of his fellow citizens overlook one thing: There is no longer any basis for the argument that the Olympic Games will cause an increase in the number of infections. If that does happen in the end – and it would not be surprising – then, cynically speaking, it is Japan’s own fault.

Of course, the athletes cannot buy anything from this debate at their career highlight. Being there is everything, they say so beautifully at the Olympics. Yes, they will fight for medals too. But otherwise it means: Nobody will be there. And that’s sad.

Even if Olympic organizer Hashimoto sees it differently: Yes, Japan had a different choice than these ghost games.