Hello everyone,
I hope you are all safe and healthy and that all your friends and families are well.
As you all know, a statement released on the 24th March announced the postponement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games “to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021”; another statement released on the 28th March confirmed the postponement of the Olympic Games to the 23rd July 2021 and of the Paralympic Games to the 24th August 2021.
The name Tokyo2020 and the logo will remain, and everything will be one year later but one day earlier. Not confusing at all, right?
Also, as in a déja-vu we now have 477 days to go! (on 1st April)
And the answer to your question “Do you really have things to do for one additional year?” is NO.
We should have started working in the venue in two months’ time, with just 114 days to go and we now have 363 additional days to plan everything.
The knock-down effects of the decision, even if completely understandable and correct, will be massive and the challenges related to those will be huge. Many International Federations tried to push for an earlier start, maybe in April or May, but due to broadcast contracts that was not possible.
The OC created a task force to work on all the various challenges related to the postponement, such as:
- contracts extension for more than 3,500 employees and contractors
- prolong the contract for the offices for Tokyo2020 staff if possible, or find another location for the headquarters
- confirm all the venues for all the sports for Olympic and Paralympic Games (some of the venues are already fully booked after 2020)
- negotiate the use of the Olympic/Paralympic Village depending on the contracts made from the construction company with the buyers (all the flats have already been sold)
- secure the budget to cover all the additional expenses related to the postponement
The number of people infected with COVID-19 is increasing in Japan, and especially in Tokyo, and the Tokyo Governor has asked people to stay at home except for essential outings. We are not in a lockdown yet, but that decision can be made any day.
On Thursday 26th March I received a text from the Italian Embassy in Tokyo, telling me that the last flight for Italy was going to be on Saturday 28th March as all the flights for Europe will be then suspended until at least the end of April or further notice.
Even if the situation in Italy is dramatic I would have really liked to go back to be with my family during these crazy times, but the logistic of leaving Japan, entering Italy and the uncertainty of being able to come back convinced me that it was possibly not the best idea.
So here I am, stuck in Tokyo until this situation improves, 9,000kms away from all my friends and family.
Also, like many others the Equestrian team is now working remotely until at least the 12th April, to avoid outings. Luckily, my friend Nathalie from Rowing is also in Tokyo and I have moved in with her so that at least we can keep each other company and avoid going crazy. I’m very grateful for this as spending the quarantine in my 16sqm flat is definitely something I don’t want to experience.
We have a very strict routine, and we are super focused on food and cooking.
All the workers in Japan start their day with a five minute workout to warm up and, in front of where we live there is a big building site, every morning at 8am we are out on the balcony following their exercises.
We are also trying to eat properly and exercise a bit as we are still allowed to go out and the first experiment of making dumplings was definitely a success.
For me, one of the consequences of the re-scheduling is that obviously I will now have to stay in Tokyo until September 2021, 18 more months! Realising this was definitely a shock, as it was never the plan and I was already looking forward to going home in September.
Rationally, I’m very grateful of still having a job, a salary and of being able to do what I love for another year, but for my personal life this is a lot. It will take some time to process the new plan and for sure there will be tears and G&T involved.
On a lighter note I’m very proud to tell you that I traded one roll of toilet paper for a coffee last week.
Tissues, toilet paper and kitchen paper are still sold out in Japan and a colleague in the office was in need; I’m so looking forward to telling this to my grandkids in a couple of decades.
Masks are also sold out since January, but luckily the course builders bought some back in November for sanding the jumps and they gave me all the leftovers.
Some tips: do not eat a hard mint while wearing the mask as you will start crying, do not wear sunglasses while wearing the mask as they will fog-up and you will hit a lamp post.
As if the current situation was already not enough, after being able to go for a walk just wearing a t-shirt last Saturday, this was the road in front of my house on Sunday and the forecast for Tokyo is drizzle and rain for two weeks.
If there is a silver lining in all of this, is that I will be able to experience another skiing season in Japan, admire the sakura blossom twice, sweat during two Japanese summers, enjoy another typhoon season, improve my Japanese, explore Japan and for sure many other things
Stay safe everybody!
Sayonara!
さよなら!
カロラ
Carola
