@bhavnasingh984
New Delhi: Though nationalism is often seen as a highly jingoistic portrayal of definitive identities, sports provide the least maleficent expression of vicarious sentiments. The crisis unleashed by COVID-19 has however dented aspirations of young athletes and nations that often look forward to these friendly exchanges of competitive sentiments. The impact on the coming Japan Olympics can hardly be underestimated.
The games have already been postponed by several months and yet the future of the event remains hazy. Unlike the Beijing Olympics which were a matter of high risk in terms of global image for China, the Japanese have hosted Olympics before and have successfully delivered the goals set by the International Olympics Committee (IOC). However, for Japan what matters is not the image but the capacity to resurrect athletics after the pandemic.
Hosting any sport event is a huge responsibility and sometimes the short-term and long-term benefits are grossly misjudged leaving host countries with huge debt and maintenance liabilities due to the massive construction expenditures that they have to bear. But the COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge of a completely different scale and gamut. The onus of initiative this time lies more importantly on the athletes as their enthusiasm and physical strength has been debilitated to a large extent by the lack of practice and social distancing norms implemented under duress.
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Sports are also to a large extent a popular spectacle meant for public display and consumption and extremely ambitious displays of self-worth. Beijing spent around US$45 billion in 2008 including US$460 million for its centrepiece stadium known as the Bird’s nest that is mostly unused today and costing US$11 million a year for its upkeep.
Rio de Janeiro spent some US$ 3 billion on a new subway line connecting the city with some Olympic venues and yet just a year afterwards, Rio’s Olympic facilities were closed to the public after falling into disrepair. For the 2018 games South Korea posted a bill of US$13 billion much above the original budget. Unfortunately, the spark in Japanese Olympic is missing given the damp spirit festered by COVID-19 instead of revitalising the youth. It is indeed a moment of huge crisis for the sporting community.
For some time commentators had been insistent that the costs of hosting Olympics had skyrocketed to such a scale that there needs to be a reform in the Olympic committee process of bidding and selection to incentivise realistic budget, increase transparency and promote sustainable investments. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic there has been an overall dilapidation in infrastructure projects, with roads and rivers, both damaged and untamed and no opportunity for the construction of new venues with virtual lockdown of towns and cities. Not only has COVID hindered the rapid construction and maintenance of sports grounds and stadiums across cities but also a loss of interest in planning and implementation is palpable.
Recently the foreign ministers from the BRICS-Plus countries have agreed to meet online to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Sports. Some members of the International Olympic Committee suggested that Japan should declare these Olympics as cancelled but the Japanese PM defended his stance that Japan is in a good position to carry out the task at hand branding these games as “recovery games” replete with “recovery monuments” to honour the triple-whammy earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011.
They even created a bizarre graphic that depicts a circle of appreciation, with “the disaster-affected areas” offering support for the Olympic athletes, which will “cheer up” the world. The games have been officially postponed to 23 July – 8 August 2021 in Tokyo.
The Dream stays Alive
From an initial reaction of dismay on the breaking of the quadrennial cycle due to the pandemic for the first time since World War II, the Japanese have been quick to reconcile with the reality and put in extra effort to put up a good show. A strong sense of resurrected nationalism is seeping slowly into the psyche of the Japanese people. The centrality of ethical handling is reflected also in the decision of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to handover the reins to someone more capable and sturdy citing his own poor health.
For the Japanese, the Olympics do not necessarily reflect the victory of soft power or an effort towards cementing their leadership position but after the pandemic they are a matter of testing their determination and grit. The Olympic committee has put together two Olympic Games documentaries that have been screened on 28 July and 4 August respectively to keep the coverage live.
The restrictions on movement during COVID-19 have also meant a heavy loss for many media houses. The administrative procedures have been delayed and the participation of the locals has come through with much caution. Coping with both COVID restrictions and the infrastructure development for the Olympics at the same time has meant double burden for Japan for now.
But the Japanese have been known for their ability to resurrect from disasters like the Fukushima in no time and will hopefully put on a brilliant show of spirit and solidarity bolstered by compassionate nationalism for the Olympics.
Bhavna Singh is an independent analyst who works on Chinese nationalism and autonomous regions of China. She is the author of China’s Discursive Nationalism (2012) and has been associated since 2013 with the V-Dem project, University of Gothenburg. She recently interned with McKinsey.
Email: bhavna.singh984@gmail.com
