It's official Tokyo 2020 is now Tokyo 2021. Not really, the Japan games committee is going to continue to call it the 2020 Olympics, so they don't have to throw away or overprint all those T Shirts they hoped to sell this summer. Canada and Australia tipped over the bucket by stating they were withdrawing yesterday. That's what it took for the IOC and the Japan Committee to see the light.
The Guardian clik here to read The Guardian report.
The organizing committee actually did an overprint on their logo. Now the question in the US is what about the Prefontaine Classic and the Olympic Trials and the World Championships? Actually the first two are moot. They will happen. As for what to do about the World Championships, we're either going to have a lot of great track meets next summer or they may combine the WC with the OG. It's an option.
Another option this year is if the Conference Champhionships, Nationals, and Relays wish to be held, ie. NCAAs, Drake, Penn, Mt. Sac. Our suggestion is have them this Fall. Drake can be held on a weekend that the Bulldog football team is playing an away game. Those track athletes should be fired up for some competition this fall. Cross country is a 'minor' sport to many and could be set aside or it could continue as always. Remember when we would sometimes run cross country meets at half time of hte football games and finish in front of the football crowed? From a financial point of view and academic, the seniors who have been granted another year of eligibility could come back in the Fall and complete their degrees and be out of there by Christmas, thus freeing up athletic scholarships to the incoming freshman class.
The big if is whether the Covid-19 will have passed by September or October or whether it will have mutated and come back with a second hit, as the 1918 pandemic did. It's time for those college and athletic administrators to earn their inflated salaries by making some wise decisions.
Bill Schnier has added to these comments with his deep knowledge of NCAA rules which would come into play with my proposal above.
Very interesting suggestion about the Drake and Penn Relays being held in the fall. Since they are mostly college events, NCAA rules would have to be readjusted to allow competition in the fall, but since competition was prevented this spring they might make an exception. I think it would be great. Recent years saw southern meets held on the same day as Drake and Penn with more favorable weather overcoming tradition. In one or two years those great meets were trivialized. Since NCAA qualifying marks are the ONLY thing that count these days, teams flocked to Arkansas and Texas rather than Des Moines and Philly. This would be a perfect opportunity to honor the great relay meets, including Mt. SAC, which have brought so much joy to the T&F community. Let's get a petition approved to the NCAA. Bill.
Oh the marketing nightmare!! I like Bill's comments. It will be so sad if the traditional meets aren't maintained and upheld as the event to compete in. These young ones need to know the rich history and to be able to say, What an honor I got to compete in the (insert competition)! :D
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