In Japan, TV news everyday keep saying "Take precautions against heatstroke!"
Extremely scorching hot humid weather is continuing.
During the week of 9th this month, 9,956 people were taken to the hospital due to heatstroke throughout Japan. Only in Tokyo, 704 people.
On the 18th Wednesday, 2,065 people were taken to the hospital for only one day.
On this day alone, 8 people died of heatstroke.
In Tokyo, 14 people died of heatstroke this month.
The exercise guideline for heatstroke precaution by the Japan Sports Association set on 4 classifications, Safety, Caution, Alert, Heightened Alert, Stop exercise.
Everyday, "Stop exercise" level.
Is it a sane idea to hold the Olympic games during such terrible season?
It's obvious that astonishing number of people would be taken to the hospital and even not a few people might die.
The newspaper of South Korea says;
"It's expected that athletes would play in murderous extreme heat in the Tokyo Olympics"
Yes, it's definitely murderous.
Working as a volunteer is something like a brush with death?
Hello S.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your many interesting postings about the World Cup. I'm sorry I haven't commented until now.
Yes, you are right about the folly of holding the 2020 Games in the middle of a hot Tokyo summer. This year is exceptionally hot, but even a normal Tokyo summer is really uncomfortable or even somewhat dangerous to be outside for an extended period. The 1964 Games were held in October for that very reason. What is the IOC thinking this time?
There are still two more years (+ two days) to go. Surely it is not too late to change the date. I'm sure various plans would be inconvenienced by that, but it would be much better for the sake of people's health and safety (both spectors and sportsmen and sportswomen). Also a shift to a later date wouldn't bother people as much as trying to hold the event earlier in the year.
I don't know whether there are any other international athletic events planned for autumn 2020, but the Olympic Games should take precedence.
The next World Cup Football in 2022 in Qatar has also been moved to a "cooler" part of the year, though it will still be pretty hot, I think. In that case, it is rather disruptive to the domestic football season to lose many of their best players who will be away playing in the World Cup. That is especially true for British football teams who have a high percentage of foreign players who will go to Qatar and play for their national teams. However, that is a sacrifice worth making to hold a World Cup Tournament under tolerable conditions for the players and spectators.
Returning to the topic of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, I watched an interesting video that made the same point about the foolishness of holding the event in the middle of summer. Even if you don't watch the video, please read the creator's description under the video, and also his comment at the top of the comments section. He agrees with you (and me).
Is this Tokyo 2020 Olympics biggest mistake?
Is there much discussion among people and in the Japanese media about this matter? Do you think the date could be changed?
Stay cool (if possible)!
Regards,
Tim
Hello, Tim,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment and the info of the video.
Yesterday, it became over 40 degrees C in one area in Tokyo for the first time in recorded history. The Meteorological Agency finally announced that the extreme hot in this season is "a natural disaster."
However, the schedule of the Olympics is never changed, because...
The IOC has decided that Summer Olympics should be held between 15th July and the end of August, in order to secure much TV broadcasting time in Europe and the US.
Popular professional sports are not held in July and August in Europe and the US.
Main income of the IOC is TV broadcast rights that TV companies in Europe and the US pay.
It's definitely commercial Olympics.
In fact, one of the applicant cities for the 2020 Olympics, Doha (Qatar) was not promoted to candidate status, because Doha's plan was holding the Olympics in October. The IOC honestly said that it was difficult to secure TV broadcasting time.
For them, money is much more important than athletes', spectators's and volunteers' health and even lives.
The people who decided this schedule will watch the games in a very comfortable VIP room.
And, the Olympics will be held under "a natural disaster."
I suppose you are right. Commercial considerations conquer common sense. The world has changed considerably since 1964. I don't really agree with their arguments, but they will stick to their plans.
ReplyDeleteThe current extreme heat might, perhaps, have a positive aspect. I'm sure that the Tokyo LOC has taken into account the normal summer weather conditions there and made provisions for people to be protected. Maybe this year's unusually hot conditions will act as an extra wake-up call, and even more cooling, water availability, first aid training, medical services, etc., will be added. I hope the summer of 2020 will be "normal" (or even unusually mild) and the word "disaster" won't need to be used again.
A request: I heard that Tokyo 2020 ticket prices were recently announced. Please write a blog posting about that (and your opinions), if there is enough information. I don't think actual sales begin till next year, but I'm also interested in the arrangement for buying tickets when that is announced. I think the method used for London 2012 ticket was unfair and unreasonable. I imagine the LOC rather than the IOC decides the exact details of ticket sales and distribution, so I hope Tokyo does it better than London did.
Tim,
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting your comment again.
Yes, I hope the summer of 2020 will be more bearable, it's been getting hotter every year though.
Actually, I was going to write about the ticket in the next article. Probably Tuesday.
Meanwhile, please refer to the following site.
https://tokyo2020.org/en/news/notice/20180720-03.html
Tickets will start to be sold in the spring of 2019.