When Are the OlympicsAnd Will They Even Be Happening?
If you have questions about the upcoming Gameswhen are the Olympics is a major one, but lets not forget wondering if theyre even going to happen tooyoure not the only one. Like the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself (and every trip, get together, or event youve planned since the pandemic started), the situation has been evolving ever since much of the world essentially shut down in the spring of 2020. While there are still a ton of lingering unknowns about whats safe, whats not, and exactly what things will look like as we open back up, we have gotten a little more clarity regarding the Games over these past few weeks and months. Still, we cant be entirely sure things wont change as the Olympics loom closer. In the meantime, to help answer some of your most burning questions, heres everything we know about the Olympics now. The Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 21 through August 8, 2021. The Paralympics are scheduled for August 24 through September 5, 2021. Where they are taking place requires a little more explanation. As youd expect, most of the events will take place right in Tokyoit is, after all, called the Tokyo Olympics. However, some events will actually be held outside of Japans capital city. The marathon and race walking courses will be outside the city limits, in Sapporo Odori Park, about 500 miles north of Tokyo, where its considerably cooler. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the move out of consideration for the athletes well-beingaverage August temps in Tokyo are in the 80sand for the sake of logistics. The parks layout allows marathoners and race walkers to share a venue; plus the park has plenty of hills, which makes for a varied and exciting course. Road cycling races will take place at the Fuji International Speedway, about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, while the mountain bike courses will be on the Izu MTB course, about a two-hour drive from Tokyo. Surfing will be held at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, about 90 minutes west of the city. For details on the locations of specific events, check the official Olympics website. Originally scheduled for 2020, the Olympics were pushed back a year because of COVID-19. According to a press release from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that came out right after the pandemic started in March 2020, it chose to postpone the event for safety reasons. Not only were there concerns about the direct effects on the athletes health, but also about the public health risks that would have come with staging a huge international gathering during a pandemic. Well, thats not totally clear. Finances could definitely play a part. The Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) has already allocated $1.3 billion to marketingand a branding overhaul to reflect the new dates would cost even more. Short answer: Yes, but only in wartime.