Jump to content

COVID could very well still be a major issue for the winter olympics


Recommended Posts

As if Beijing was not enough of a disaster, but this might be another variable in an equation that already has a lot of problems.  I know we were hoping and anticipating this would be done and dusted by the Tokyo Olympics.  In turn, its a worse problem for Japan than its ever been.  COVID clusters seem to be like an amoeba with their infliction rate, and I think more than a few would see it as poetic justice for something for Beijing to deal with early next year.  In any other country, I think the risk of a fanless Olympics would be quite high, but not China.  They will insist on putting on a good face.  It could very well be a domestic fans only affair though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, iceman530 said:

As if Beijing was not enough of a disaster, but this might be another variable in an equation that already has a lot of problems.  I know we were hoping and anticipating this would be done and dusted by the Tokyo Olympics.  In turn, its a worse problem for Japan than its ever been.  COVID clusters seem to be like an amoeba with their infliction rate, and I think more than a few would see it as poetic justice for something for Beijing to deal with early next year.  In any other country, I think the risk of a fanless Olympics would be quite high, but not China.  They will insist on putting on a good face.  It could very well be a domestic fans only affair though.

China will want to put on a show and part of that show will be their claim they have defeated Covid. I highly doubt China would limit spectators to domestic fans only. They will want to welcome the world but on their terms. I've mentioned before this likely means only spectators and athletes that are fully vaccinated much as Qatar is doing for the World Cup next year. I suspect as well if athletes or spectators are coming from Covid hotspots (especially if there's new variants) then mandatory two week quarantines will apply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh I‘m so looking forward to the absolute shitshow of what will probably be the most cynical Olympics in history (and they have some competition in that field).

The IOC will obviously stand by and do whatever China wants as long as its $$$, sorry, ideals are not under threat.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In a way Im happy its going to Beijing instead of Almaty.  Every judging eye and every embarrassing move that China makes will be on display in seven months time (jeez its coming up quick isnt it?).  China has earned this.  They need to hope with every hope that they have from Harbin to Hong Kong that there isnt a city that becomes a hot spot between now and the build up, and with a disease that has the pattern of an amoeba, and is completely unpredictable, that is no guarantee.  COVID-19 has shown a resiliency long past its predicted and anticipated latency period.  Even if it is an only domestic affair, their vaccine will be on display too, and if people pop up getting sick on the regular even after being vaccinated, the Chinese vaccine will also be embarrassing.  Its gonna be an all you can eat buffet of embarrassment.  Only seven months away........how time flies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would have felt bad if Almaty had to put up with all the likely COVID protocols that are likely on deck, that would have been a tough undertaking for them.  They get the dignity of avoiding a spotlight of likely humiliation.  If Beijing pulls this off without at least one egg on its face, I will be extremely impressed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, iceman530 said:

I would have felt bad if Almaty had to put up with all the likely COVID protocols that are likely on deck, that would have been a tough undertaking for them.  They get the dignity of avoiding a spotlight of likely humiliation.  If Beijing pulls this off without at least one egg on its face, I will be extremely pressed.

FTFY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/10/2021 at 8:35 PM, iceman530 said:

As if Beijing was not enough of a disaster, but this might be another variable in an equation that already has a lot of problems.  I know we were hoping and anticipating this would be done and dusted by the Tokyo Olympics.  In turn, its a worse problem for Japan than its ever been.  COVID clusters seem to be like an amoeba with their infliction rate, and I think more than a few would see it as poetic justice for something for Beijing to deal with early next year.  In any other country, I think the risk of a fanless Olympics would be quite high, but not China.  They will insist on putting on a good face.  It could very well be a domestic fans only affair though.

How is it worse than ever?  That doesn't ring true.  Their case count was a lot higher 2 months ago (yes it's rising now and that's concerning), but vaccination rates are slowly creeping upwards.  We all know the Delta variant is out there and causing problems, but that's an unfair characterization that they're in worse shape now than ever.

Yes, 1 way or another, COVID will affect Beijing's Olympics, and absolutely they should have to shoulder that burden.  We'll see how it plays out.  They should just thank their lucky stars they're not the next Olympics on the calendar until after Tokyo this summer, or else they'd be facing a lot more scrutiny.  And you can be sure any fallout from what happens with Tokyo will be projected onto Beijing, again on top of all the other reasons to oppose an Olympics in Beijing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I predicted it last year when I was chatting with a coworker of mine that was retiring. The pandemic is gonna go into 2022. At that point all I had on my mind were all the covidiots spreading it, but I didn't think about the mutations. I'm double vaxxed now, but there are still plenty of idiots out there that still haven't got their first shot. If they move the games to 2023, so be it. If they move them out of China, even better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, FYI said:

I think 2022 should be postponed to 2023 myself. So they can be more EVENLY spaced between 2020ne & 2024. We don't want that Olympic fatigue setting in, ya know. :P

Meh. Let China suffer because of it. They brought this on themselves, so if there is any sort of fatigue factor, that's karma doing its thing. And not for nothing, don't forget that the World Cup is in November /December next year. So a 2023 Winter Olympics would be really close to that one

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1111888/beijing-2022-strict-covid-protocols&ved=2ahUKEwiBjqKO-dPyAhWyTTABHdDADxwQxfQBMAR6BAgLEAM&usg=AOvVaw1ElymlUx21phCdNL-NhQgZ

Strict protocols. Be interesting to see what China has in mind. My prediction though is we are going to see far stricter measures in Beijing than what we saw in Tokyo especially after the Chinese delegation criticized Tokyo's measures as insufficient. I think it starts with mandatory two week quarantines and no entry into China for anyone not vaccinated. May sound harsh but China knows they call the shots here. Not sure how you segregate spectators from officials in a full indoor venue though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Came across this New York Times article which gives some further insight into Covid protocols at Beijing and as expected it's going to make Tokyo's look like a vacation.

Tokyo’s Olympic Bubble? Wait Till You See Beijing’s. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Among some of the precautions mentioned:

Sealing off the main Olympic areas in Beijing from the public (Tokyo allowed commuters to come and go from the "bubble")

Guards in biohazard suits

All interviews with athletes must be done through plastic screens

Separate facilities at venues for spectators such as toilets

After the Olympics, all Chinese officials, athletes, and volunteers will undergo "internal quarantine" in China at government-mandated facilities

No decision on spectators yet, but Beijing is only allowing 30,000 people with accreditations to enter China while Tokyo allowed 42,000. Based on this, I think it's likely there will either be no spectators or audiences will be domestic only. Christophe Dubai stated a few weeks ago that he didn't think spectators at Beijing was likely.

The IOC has dodged all questions about further restrictions, but according to the NYT a number of NOCs are getting anxious about possible (I'd say likely) draconian measures. The UK is sending some of its sliders to Beijing in October to try out the sliding track and they have been told to expect "lockdown conditions."  

 

 

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

aaaaannd here......we...........go [jokerdarkknight.jpeg]

Thanks for posting this, gives  a lot of new insight.

I knew this was coming.  As predicted, it is going to make Tokyo's bubble look cupcake.  And it is going to be miserable for the athletes.  The premier snowboarders of the world are already talking about skipping it completely, saying thats not what snowboarding is about and that they wont take part in it.  That will be a BFD given how much of a crowd grabber snowboarding has become for the WOGs.

Speaking of crowds, this is again going to be 50/50.  If there are ANY spectators, they are going to be purely domestic.  It could easily go the way of Tokyo with no spectators too.  I think any potential international spectators can cancel their plans already.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/28/2021 at 7:48 AM, stryker said:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1111888/beijing-2022-strict-covid-protocols&ved=2ahUKEwiBjqKO-dPyAhWyTTABHdDADxwQxfQBMAR6BAgLEAM&usg=AOvVaw1ElymlUx21phCdNL-NhQgZ

Strict protocols. Be interesting to see what China has in mind. My prediction though is we are going to see far stricter measures in Beijing than what we saw in Tokyo especially after the Chinese delegation criticized Tokyo's measures as insufficient. I think it starts with mandatory two week quarantines and no entry into China for anyone not vaccinated. May sound harsh but China knows they call the shots here. Not sure how you segregate spectators from officials in a full indoor venue though.

Hmmm...  Wonder if they'll accept those vaccinated with Moderna, Pfizer, AZ, J&J, or Sputnik without requiring a quarantine?  Sinovac is a **** vaccine but it's theirs so it'll be interesting to see how they treat athletes and officials who have received better vaccines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Karenina said:

Hmmm...  Wonder if they'll accept those vaccinated with Moderna, Pfizer, AZ, J&J, or Sputnik without requiring a quarantine?  Sinovac is a **** vaccine but it's theirs so it'll be interesting to see how they treat athletes and officials who have received better vaccines.

Oh that would be great fun to introduce a different rule for different vaccines. 
 

It would just fit these absurd WOG quite well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

China does not accept or recognize any vaccines other than Sinopharm or Sinovac. My guess is they will allow fully vaccinated athletes to enter China but require a two week quarantine in the Olympic Village. 

If the Olympics were being held instead in say Oslo or Krakow we'd probably see the same playbook used by Tokyo. China though follows a zero covid policy. Draconian lockdowns are enforced when cases pop up. Makes me wonder what will happen if someone tests positive in the Olympic Village. Lock down a floor? Lockdown an entire building?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, stryker said:

China does not accept or recognize any vaccines other than Sinopharm or Sinovac. My guess is they will allow fully vaccinated athletes to enter China but require a two week quarantine in the Olympic Village. 

If the Olympics were being held instead in say Oslo or Krakow we'd probably see the same playbook used by Tokyo. China though follows a zero covid policy. Draconian lockdowns are enforced when cases pop up. Makes me wonder what will happen if someone tests positive in the Olympic Village. Lock down a floor? Lockdown an entire building?

did any athletes in tokyo miss their events because of quarantines once they arrived?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...