International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach put out a new video release on Tuesday with a positive message for athletes toward the future.
Bach has become a figure of great international attention, receiving criticism for around the world of sports for the handling of the postponing of the Tokyo Olympic Games, with many accusing him of waiting too long to decide to move the 2020 Olympics to 2021.
Bach is painting the postponement of the Olympic Games as an opportunity now, as a “light at the end of the tunnel” that is the global coronavirus Pandemic.
“Imagine what this could mean for all of us,” Bach says in the video. “These Olympic Games could finally be the celebration of humanity after having overcome this unprecedented crisis of the coronavirus. It could be true celebration of the determination of all of us, and a true celebration of the Olympic spirit that unites us all. You would be the main protagonists of this Olympic community celebrating this light at the end of the tunnel of humanity.”
Bach asks for time to study answer the multitude of questions flying around about the future of the Olympic Games and to put this “huge jigsaw puzzle together.”
The metaphor of a jigsaw puzzle was reiterated in a call with media on Wednesday morning, where he announced a ‘Here We Go’ taskforce to lay out the details of how the Games will proceed in 2021.
I agree! This upcoming Olympic games could be one of the most meaningful and important ones in history! Waiting and change and adapting training schedules are difficult, but not as difficult as the health and economic challenges so many people are facing, and not as difficult as the loss of somebody you love to this virus!