Tokyo Jinx?

As expected, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad 2020 at Tokyo (2020 Tokyo Olympics) has been postponed to beyond 2020 and not earlier than the summer of 2021. With very little signs of abatement of the Chinese coronavirus COVID-19 and the toll and panic it has created globally, it was all but a formality. There was great uncertainty and concern over athlete’s health and disruptions to the qualifying tournaments was inevitable. Even in the extreme scenario of having the games without spectators, it would have involved the participation of nearly 30000 athletes, coaches, managers, doctors, stadium staff, administrative support staff, logistics all in proximity to each other. It would have been a near impossibility without overlooking the safety of the athletes and officials. When they take place in 2021, it will be the first games to be held in the odd years and outside the cycle. There was of course the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens but they are usually not considered to be part of the regular Olympics cycle. It is after 76 years the Games have been postponed. If all was well Tokyo would have been a city to host the Games three times following London and soon to be followed by Paris and Los Angeles. Yet there is a jinx associated with Tokyo and it is the second time the Games have been postponed or cancelled when allotted to Tokyo. Tokyo however, has organized the Games in 1964, the first Asian country to do so and has also hosted the Winter Edition twice, the last time in Nagano 1998.

The jinxed Games or the nearly jinxed were the 1900 Games. The Games in Paris were supposed to be first given Baron Pierre De Coubertin’s home country, the long gap between the finalisation in 1894 and the proposed hosting in 1900, ensured the first Games were in Athens, the place of the historical Games in 1896. The 1900 Games was of course to be a part of the 1900 Expositon Universelle , an international fair being held in Paris. There were disputes in organising and organising committee making De Coubertin withdraw from the committee. The media which covered the Games did not even describe it as so and preferred to call as International Championship, World Championship, Grand Prix of Exposition Universelle among others.

The 1904 Olympics originally awarded to Chicago were no different and had to be moved to St. Louis for political reasons. Very few athletes participated given the difficulties in reaching America and the 1904 Russia-Japan War. It was essentially an international event clubbed with US National Championship in many aspects.

The 1916 Olympics were awarded to Berlin in 1912. Two years later the War broke out in Europe. Hardly anyone at the time expected it to be a prolonged affair. As the War went into a stalemate and no signs of end, the 1916 Games had to be cancelled.

The 1940 Games were allotted surprisingly to Japan in 1936 with Tokyo being the venue. However, the government and the military hardly showed any enthusiasm. Japan had already withdrawn from the League of Nations and was seen isolated from the international community. In 1937, Sino-Japanese War broke out. Many countries especially in Europe called for boycott of the Games. Meanwhile the Japanese Parliament – Diet was hardly enthusiastic and calls were being made to forfeit the Games.  While the organising committee was keen to go ahead with the Games, the military and the Diet (puppet of the military) were beginning to be vociferous in forfeiting the Games. In 1938, Japan forfeited the Games which were then allocated to Helsinki, Finland. The Second World War beginning in 1939 led to the abandonment of the Games. However, Finland did host an international contest involving Sweden, Norway and Germany. In a POW camp near Nuremberg, Allied prisoners of war did organise a sporting contest with the backdrop of the Olympic spirit.

The Games of 1944 was awarded to London in 1939, the war had already created the uncertainty. The 1944 Games were also supposed to mark the Golden Jubilee of the International Olympic Committee.  The War ensured the Games were abandoned though the IOC did organise a series of event to commemorate their Golden Jubilee. In Poland, the prisoners did stage an unofficial POW Olympics at one of the POW camps demonstrating the Olympics spirit.

Japan was to have hosted the 1940 Winter Games as well in Sapporo but forfeited. It was later allotted to St. Moritz but withdrawn and then allotted to Garmisch-Partenkirtchen in Germany before the War led to its abandonment. Ironically, Germany has never hosted the Winter Games since though Sapporo did host in 1972. St. Moritz had hosted in 1928 (1^st Edition). The 1944 Winter Edition was supposed to be Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy which were abandoned due to the War. It did host the Games in 1956 and will be co-host in 2026, something unthinkable today given the gravity of calamity Italy is confronted with.

Thus in history, while War and politics have played havoc with the Games, it is for the first time, a tiny microbe, not even technically a living organism is bringing the Olympics to its knees. When the Games do take place in 2021, it will be a significant moment, a moment of triumph of human survival and endeavor.