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The road to Tokyo 2021: uncovering the Olympics postponement in a COVID-19 world

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THE ROAD TO TOKYO 2021:

UNCOVERING THE OLYMPICS POSTPONEMENT IN A COVID-19 WORLD

by

Julia Adams

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR
COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)

August 2020

Copyright 2020 Julia Adams
ii
Acknowledgements
A special thank you to my wonderful thesis committee — Professor Alan Abrahamson,
Professor Myra Turner and Professor Jeff Fellenzer for their devoted mentorship in both my
undergraduate and graduate years at USC. I am grateful for the support they have given me in
completing the Specialized Journalism program this year.

iii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ii
Abstract iv
Chapter 1: Rai Benjamin’s Story 1
Chapter 2: A Postponement Timeline 3
Chapter 3: Athletes React 6
Chapter 4: Training Adjustments 8
Chapter 5: Mental Health 10
Chapter 6: Navigating College and Team Dynamics 12
Chapter 7: The 1980 U.S. Olympic Boycott— A Look Back 14
Chapter 8: Quarantine Life and a Look Forward 17
Comprehensive Bibliography 19

iv
Abstract
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games were originally scheduled from July 23rd – August
8
th
in Tokyo, Japan. However, in January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly from its
origin in Wuhan, China to the rest of the globe. The world began shutting down in response to a
rising number of cases that caused sickness and deaths on a global scale. This article explores
how the rise of the pandemic led to an Olympic postponement and how this affects athletes,
coaches and more who were expected to be in attendance.

1
Chapter 1: Rai Benjamin’s Story
Rai Benjamin is one of the fastest men on the planet — a 400-meter specialist who took
silver at the 2019 IAAF world championships in Doha, Qatar, and became the third-fastest man
in history in that event after running r46.98 seconds at a meet a few weeks before in Zurich. He
was favored to medal not once, but twice, at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
After a tough year riddled with injuries and sacrifices, Benjamin believed the summer of
2020 was finally time to prove himself at the pinnacle of his sport. But on March 24th, after
weeks of speculation, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Tokyo 2020 Organizing
Committee and the Government of Japan released a joint statement declaring that the 2020
Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were going to be postponed due to the Coronavirus
pandemic
1
. While this decision prioritized athlete safety and well-being amidst a global crisis, it
also put Olympic dreams on hold until July 23, 2021 — exactly a year after the originally
planned Olympics. For coaches, teams and athletes -- like Benjamin.
Benjamin, a 2019 University of Southern California alum, was training on USC’s track
before he heard the official news. He said he was somewhat prepared for it given that many
professional sports had stopped their training and seasons weeks prior in response to the rising
number of Coronavirus cases. “It was disappointing, because you’re putting all this work in and
you get to a certain point and the season’s about to start, and then it just gets dragged from under
you,” Benjamin said. “I know for me I wasn't shocked or surprised, I was just in that in-between
state where it's like – what now?
2
”
So, what now for athletes who have had their dreams put on hold? Many are dealing with
the ramifications of a postponed Olympics in a predominantly still quarantined world, which

1
“Joint Statement from the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee”
2
Rai Benjamin, telephone conversation with author, May 2, 2020.
2
includes disruptions to training, team chemistry, college seasons and their mental and physical
health. To fully understand this situation perhaps it’s best to examine what led up to the
postponement in the first place.

3
Chapter 2: A Postponement Timeline
The IOC maintained a stance for months that the Games would not be canceled after the
World Health Organization declared the coronavirus pandemic a global health emergency at the
end of January. It wasn’t until individual teams began to speak out on a postponement that real
action was taken. Here is a timeline of all major Olympic-related decisions from when the
outbreak started in Wuhan, China leading up to the postponement of the Games.
Jan 30
th
: The WHO declares the coronavirus pandemic a global health emergency as cases
spread outside of China
3
.
Feb. 14
th
: Australia’s John Coates, head of an IOC inspection team, releases a statement saying,
“There’s no case for contingency plans or canceling the Games or moving the Games
4
.” By now,
Coronavirus has infected more than 64,000 people globally.
Feb 25
th
: IOC member Dick Pound of Canada tweets that organizers are more likely to cancel
the Games than postpone if Coronavirus continues to worsen. But he still encourages athletes
around the world to keep training
5
.
March 7
th
: IOC President Thomas Bach writes a letter to all Olympians asking them to continue
their training, hoping that an Olympics in 2020 “can once more unite the whole world in a
peaceful competition.
6
”
March 12
th
: The torch lighting ceremony — a tradition dating back to 1936 — takes place in
Olympia, Greece with no spectators in attendance
7
. Following this, President Trump asks for a
postponement of the 2020 Games
8
.

3
Joseph, “WHO declares coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency.”
4
Slodkowski, “WHO says no case for canceling, moving Tokyo Games: IOC Coordinator.”
5
Lauletta, “Coronavirus may force the cancellation of the Olympics.”
6
Xinhua, “Bach encourages Olympians to go ahead full steam towards Tokyo 2020.”
7
“Olympic Flame for Tokyo 2020 Provides Beacon of Hope Following Lighting Ceremony.”
8
Chavez, “President Trump Suggests Postponing Olympics One Year.”
4
March 13
th
: WHO announces that Europe is the current “epicenter” of the pandemic with the
virus spanning over 130,000 cases in 123 countries
9
.
March 16
th
: French Olympic Committee President Denis Masseglia says the only way the
Games will happen in 2020 is if the pandemic is at its peak come May
10
.
March 17
th
: The IOC puts out a statement saying it remains fully committed to the Games in
2020 and that “any speculation at this moment would be counterproductive
11
.”
March 18
th
: UK heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson stops her training in France because of
the spread of the virus, saying it has become “impossible.”
12

March 19
th
: Bach, in an interview with the New York Times, says a cancellation is still not part
of the plan, even though professional teams worldwide have predominantly stopped their
seasons. He says, “We are contrary to many other sports organizations or leagues in that we are
four and a half months away from the Games
13
.” However, members of the Japan Olympic
Committee call for a postponement of the Games
14
.
March 20
th
: USA Swimming calls for a postponement of the Games because of the threat the
Games pose to athletes' health and safety as well as their ability to train at the highest level
15
.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Chair, Susanne Lyons, says it's her deepest wish for
the Games to take place as scheduled but says the organization is preparing for a “variety of
outcomes
16
.”

9
Feuer, “Europe is now the epicenter of the Coronavirus pandemic, WHO says.”
10
Pretot, “Coronavirus Must Hit Peak by End-May for Games to Happen on Time — French Olympic Committee Chief.”
11
Futterman, “What Virus? The I.O.C Says the Summer Olympics Will Go On.”
12
Cohen, “Limited training facilities lead Olympic hopefuls to adapt.”
13
Armour, “Thomas Bach: IOC ‘of course’ considering alternatives to Tokyo 2020.”
14
Bieler, “Japan Olympic Committee member breaks with IOC, calls for postponement of Games.”
15
Keating, “USA Swimming Calls for Tokyo Games Postponement.”
16
Drehs, “USOPC making Olympic contingency plans amid coronavirus pandemic.”
5
March 21
st
: USA Track and Field writes a letter to the IOC saying, "We are all experiencing
unfathomable disruptions, and everyone's lives are being impacted accordingly. The alternative
of moving forward in light of the current situation would not be in the best interest of our athletes
as difficult as that decision might be
17
.” The Brazil Olympic Committee also calls for a
postponement of the Games for a year
18
.
March 22
nd
: The IOC announces it will set a four-week deadline to make a decision on the
Games, saying it ““is confident that it will have finalized these discussions within the next four
weeks, and greatly appreciates the solidarity and partnership of the [national Olympic
committees] and [international federations] in supporting the athletes and adapting Games
planning
19
." Later that day, the Canadian Olympic Team announces it will not send athletes to
the Olympics unless the Games are postponed by one year
20
.
March 23
rd
: Pound tells USA Today that the Games will be postponed till 2021
21
. The
Australian Olympic team follows in Canada’s footsteps, saying that if an Olympics happens this
year, they will not be sending any athletes because “our athletes have been magnificent in their
positive attitude to training and preparing, but the stress and uncertainty has been extremely
challenging for them
22
."
March 24
th
: An official statement from the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and the
Government of Japan is put out, announcing the postponement of the Games for a year.

17
Chavez, “USA Track & Field Calls for Tokyo Olympics to Be Postponed, CEO says.”
18
Haring, “Calls For Postponing Tokyo Olympics Growing, But Organizers Remain Firm Games Will Happen.”
19
ESPN News Services, “IOC sets four-week deadline on Games decision.”
20
Associated Press, “Canada won’t send athletes to Tokyo Olympics unless Games are postponed.”
21
Brennan, “IOC member says 2020 Olympics will be postponed amid Coronavirus pandemic.”
22
Blackburn, “Canada, Australia won’t send athletes to 2020 Games.”
6
Chapter 3: Athletes React
Like Benjamin, many athletes and coaches preparing for the 2020 Games could foresee,
or even actively called for, a postponement after realizing the pandemic’s severity. However, this
didn’t make the official announcement any easier to digest. USA Water Polo athlete Paige
Hauschild, who plays in college at USC, said the ultimate decision was really difficult for her to
grasp, especially with the time she had put in to prepare for 2020. “Obviously I was really
disappointed as I think our whole team was….a lot of us have been waiting our whole lives for
this moment,” Hauschild said. “Getting so close and having it taken away from us was obviously
super disappointing...We’ve had a lot of meetings and talks and stuff and we're going through it
as a team
23
.”
Swedish Olympian Louise Hansson, a swimmer, was just coming off another incredible
season at USC as the defending national champion in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly (NCAA
meets are in yards; Olympic races in meters). She, too, had high expectations of continuing her
successes into the summer until she heard the news. “It was mentally really hard when the news
came, and the next week was really hard to find motivation,” Hansson said. “I was back in
Sweden when I got the news, so it was nice to be with family. I do believe it was the right
decision to cancel. It wouldn't have been a fair game since the majority of athletes don't have
access to training right now
24
.”
Other athletes, such as Moldavian swimmer Alex Sancov, were relieved about the
postponement because facility restrictions kept them from being able to train. Sancov said he
contacted every pool and gym in the Bay Area to see if he could use their facilities in order to
prepare for the Olympics. “I, along with thousands of other athletes all around the world were

23
Paige Hauschild, telephone conversation with author, April 20, 2020.
24
Louise Hansson, interviewed by author, April 24, 2020.
7
left without training, and for swimmers, in particular, even a few days without the pool might get
you out of shape. For some time, the IOC was promising that the Olympics would not get
postponed no matter what and it was stressing me out because I have not been in the water for
weeks, and somehow I was supposed to get back in shape and perform at my best in Tokyo...I
started getting a lot of anxiety and feeling useless because I could not do anything to get back to
training. So, long story short, seeing that the Olympics finally got postponed reduced my stress
levels and gave me an opportunity to focus on myself and my health
25
.”
And to some, a postponed Olympics just means more time to train. “For me, I was
relieved. I saw it as more time to prepare,” said Chanel Brissett, a USA Track and Field hurdler
and sprinter. “My teammates were excited for this year, but everything happens for a reason. The
new goal is the 2021 Games and I am certainly excited for this extension of time and
opportunity
26
.”

25
Alexei Sancov, interviewed by author, April 20, 2020.
26
Chanel Brissett, interviewed by author, May 1, 2020.
8
Chapter 4: Training Adjustments
Even with extra time to train for 2021, one of the biggest challenges for potential
Olympians continues to be the lack of training opportunities. Some countries, like Hansson’s
Sweden, have had all facilities wide open throughout the pandemic, while California, for
example, was just beginning to permit training facilities to open up in June 2020
27
.
Benjamin is still training in Los Angeles but has had no access to the track at USC since
March. He works out daily with fellow USA Track and Field athletes Michael Norman and
Kendall Ellis and their coach, former Olympian and USC alum, Quincy Watts. “We do
everything we do on the track except we’ll do it in a park, on streets,” Benjamin said. “So
usually we’ll be doing 300s, two sets of 300s, so we’d do those 300s now on the streets. On a
straightaway on a dead-end street. We will find open areas to go and run and it has worked out.
We found hills recently that are really hard.”
However, Benjamin believes these workouts are ultimately not as effective as training on
a track. “Being on a track is an entirely different beast. You can do whatever you want off the
track and feel fit and ready to go but once you get on the track itself, it is just like an entirely
different motion, a different feel. I feel like the training we’re doing definitely tries to
supplement that, but in terms of doing an on-track workout, we have to be on the track to get the
full effects of these workouts,” Benjamin said.
While Benjamin can still practice his sport to some capacity, the stay-at-home orders
became especially difficult for swim and water polo athletes who need access to a pool for their
training. “It is crazy to see how this quarantine turned mine and thousands of other athletes live
upside-down. I have been swimming for 3-4 hours every single day -- besides most Sundays --

27
Martichoux, “Reopening California.”
9
for almost 17 years, it is not just a sport to me, it is my lifestyle,” Sancov said. “So now all that I
can do is just work out on my own in my backyard, and with this quarantine every day, it gets
harder to motivate myself without my team. I feel lost without my routine.”
But these Olympic hopefuls are doing the best they can in the current situation knowing
that most athletes around the world are in the same boat. “I mean, it's like a complete change
because I went from training six days a week for like six and a half hours or more a day in a pool
or in the weight room with my team at the base,” Hauschild said. “And then now I'm at home
with no access to a pool... I'm trying to go on runs on land that I’ve never done before.”
But Hauschild is staying positive through the hardship of trying to stay in top shape
without being able to mimic water polo movements on land. “We're just on our own and
everyone's just emphasizing just staying in shape and doing what we can to stay fit. We're just
trying not to stress too much about getting out of shape in everything as far as the pool, because
it's kind of inevitable.”

10
Chapter 5: Mental Health
The Coronavirus pandemic and ensuing physical isolation and economic downturn has
had a profound effect on global mental health. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found
that half of respondents said the virus is having a severe impact on their mental health
28
. In
addition, a federal emergency hotline for people in emotional distress registered a more than
1,000% increase in calls for the month of April
29
. The online therapy site TalkSpace also
reported a 65% jump since the pandemic started
30
.
Olympic hopefuls are perhaps some of the most vulnerable when it comes to mental
health struggles in this time, given they can’t compete and therefore in some cases can’t make
money. On top of this, they are putting their Olympic dreams in jeopardy. Having to train
another year could result in them getting hurt or sick.
Former Olympian and USA Swimming National Team Director Lindsey Mintenko said
she was heartbroken at hearing about the postponement. She has been in the athlete’s shoes and
can imagine how difficult it is to be at the pinnacle of your training and be forced to hit reset and
wait another year. However, USA Swimming and other Olympic-related entities worldwide have
been serving as a source of support for their athletes during this tough time. “We're spending a
lot of time having weekly phone calls with them or guiding them to weekly phone calls,”
Mintenko said. “It's obviously not mandatory, but inviting them to weekly phone calls, providing
a lot of mental health support. And hopefully, we'll be able to continue to provide some financial
support for them. And then just having, you know, conversations and encouragement and

28
Achenbach, “Coronavirus is harming the mental health of tens of millions of people in the U.S., new poll finds.”
29
Powell, “Feeling more anxious and stressed? You’re not alone.”
30
Peterson, “Your Video Therapist Will See You Now.”
11
something for them. We've worked really hard to build the relationships that we have with our
current national team athletes
31
.”
Although he initially experienced mental distress regarding the postponement, Benjamin
said he felt better after talking to his teammates and coaches. “I feel as though this whole
experience has really taught me to be more grateful for what we have. You know, the small
things we take for granted. So, I think I am most definitely looking forward to that because I
definitely do miss how things were.”
Mintenko said athletes have been grateful for the support and ultimately realize that
everyone is in the same position right now. “We're just going to continue to try to be there as
much as we can for them and support them as much as we can. Because they're all going through
this, as we all are across the world, in different phases and dealing with it a different way so
we're just here for support.”
However, she believes the postponement by no means tarnishes the Olympic goal for
these athletes in 2021. “It's the pinnacle, like I said earlier of our sport, and what we strive for
every day, you know, while we have other competitions throughout the four years and
throughout the quad the ultimate goal is for our athletes is to be to be successful on the Olympic
stage and just because it's been postponed a year doesn't mean that that goal is changed… our
main focus is always to be successful in Tokyo 2021.”

31
Lindsey Mintenko, telephone conversation with author, April 21, 2020.
12
Chapter 6: Navigating College and Team Dynamics
Hauschild faces a unique problem: she is still a college student. She had put a hold on her
education for the past year in order to train for the Olympics and missed USC’s season.
Hauschild said she has already spoken to her coaches about returning in the fall semester but is
still deciding whether she will miss another spring semester of classes and that USC water polo
season. However, Hauschild said returning in the spring as well is daunting given, she would
only have two months to train full-time with her Olympic team. “Playing at the college level is a
lot different than playing at the international level. Obviously, and just my roles on my USC
team versus my USA team are very different. So basically, if we played our USC season... we'd
have like two months until we have the games,” Hauschild said. “And so just playing with my
USA team full time for two months before the Olympics is kind of scary, because I don't know.
That's not a lot of time to rekindle our team chemistry and switch over that quickly.”
But she also recognizes that losing another semester and season at USC would be
difficult as well. “At the same time, missing out on another season with my USC team would be
really unfortunate and missing another semester of school would also be tricky. So, it's kind of a
challenge no matter what happens. But I talked to my Team USA coach yesterday and he just
reassured me either way, like, we're going to make it work and it's going to be OK.”
USC water polo coach Marko Pintaric has been helpful in guiding Hauschild. He said he
feels for his players who have had to put their Olympic dreams on hold. “I can only imagine the
way they feel...the disappointment because sacrificing one year and not going to classes.. not
being with us when I know how much they want to be with us,” Pintaric said. “And now they're
in a position to redo it, you and chase the Olympic dreams again. We'll see how it plays out
32
.”

32
Marko Pintaric, telephone conversation with author, April 6, 2020.
13
Hauschild said it has been extremely helpful to lean on the support of her teammates and
coaches right now as they are all dealing with change and uncertainty during the pandemic.
“There’s four of us college girls who obviously have the same problem. And then we had a girl
getting married next year, and people that have other plans for work,” Hauschild said.
“Everyone's going through something as far as trying to juggle and reschedule things and
whatever and having problems and really understanding everyone's situation. So we're getting
through it together. We just reassure each other all the time that everyone's fully committed to be
the best team, we can be at the Olympic Games in 2021.”
While athletes who compete in individual sports like swimming only have to worry about
their own training, team sport athletes, like water polo players, also have to maintain
relationships and chemistry with their teammates in order to ensure success in 2021. But how do
Olympic athletes maintain chemistry with their teammates when they can’t see them? Hauschild
said that has been one of the challenges of being in quarantine. “We went from seeing each other
every single day training for hours and doing absolutely everything together to not see each other
at all….and team chemistry is obviously so important to preparing for the Games.”
However, Hauschild says with the support of USA Water Polo and the Olympic
committee, the team is doing the best they can to keep in touch. “We have a Zoom meeting at
least three times a week. That includes our whole team and staff and everyone in our team. We
also have Zoom meetings to do like fun trivia nights and whatever just to stay in touch because
we recognize how important it is for our team to stay super close.”

14
Chapter 7: The 1980 U.S. Olympic Boycott— A Look Back
The last time the United States did not compete in a regularly scheduled Olympics was
back in 1980, when the U.S. led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow to protest
the 1979 Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan
33
. The invasion reignited Cold War tensions
between the two nations with the Soviet goal to prop up a Communist regime. In response to the
invasion, President Jimmy Carter threatened Soviet leader Leonid Brezhenev with a grain
embargo and removal of the Salt II treaty from Senate consideration. He also began to consider
pulling Team USA from the 1980 Olympics in Moscow that would serve as a strong public
relations punch to the Soviet Union.
On January 20, 1980, President Carter initially announced an ultimatum to the Soviet
Union on an episode of NBC’s Meet The Press. He demanded that the Olympics be moved to an
alternative site or canceled if the Soviet Union did not remove its troops from Afghanistan in one
month. The boycott was met with much anger, including from American citizens. This was
especially true because the U.S. just held a successful winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New
York in which the famous “Miracle on Ice” took place, the underdog Team USA hockey team
taking down the seemingly indomitable Soviet team. This added to an anti-boycott sentiment
around the country… and the world
34
.
However, on April 12, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) voted in favor of
the boycott after a meeting with Vice President Walter Mondale and National Security Advisor
Zbigniew Brzezinski that highlighted the dangers of the Soviet invasion, which included the
alleged use of chemical weapons. Ultimately, 64 other countries joined the boycott with the U.S.,
which 80 still sent athletes to compete.

33
History staff, “President Carter announces Olympic boycott.”
34
Ott, “Why Jimmy Carter Ordered the U.S. to Boycott the 1980 Olympics.”
15
Swimmer John Moffet was a member of the 1980 U.S. team and remembers quite clearly
the day he was told the boycott was official and he would not get to compete in the Olympics
like he dreamed of. “We would talk about when President Carter would make the
announcement… I remember going back and forth being like it looks bad or it looks good...I was
at the indoor championships in Austin, Texas and my coach knocked on our door that day...
April 12th. It was between prelims and finals and he told us the boycott was official
35
.”
Moffet said at first, he went through a period of being “deeply sad” about his dreams
being postponed for four years, but his youthfulness and optimism got him through it. He still
had his eyes set on competing for Team USA in 1984. “I was very optimistic... athletes are
naturally optimistic,” Moffet said. “Especially the ones that are audacious enough to think that
they can make an Olympic team...I was young, so I felt I'm going to be in my prime in ‘84 so
let's just get past this and move on.”
Moffet said the toughest part of the postponement in 1980 for the athletes was the harsh
reality that many Olympic hopefuls will have to face this year as well — not realizing their
dreams of making the team in 2021. “In one year, injuries happen... illnesses happen. There's a
lot of athletes who are right on the cusp of being too old. You get to a certain age where injuries
really start being the big hurdle that you have to get over. I think a lot of the pain will set in for
those who felt as though they were in their prime in ‘20….And then for whatever reason, don't
make it 2021. That's when the real pain sets in.”
Moffet said he had many teammates who made the 1980 team but did not get the chance
to compete in 1984, and this still haunts them. “My friends who I was on the 1980 team with
who ultimately didn't make ‘84...their pain is intense, and a lot of them have dealt with it, but a

35
John Moffet, interviewed over Zoom by author, June 3, 2020.
16
lot of them still feel that pain acutely and they probably will for the rest of their lives. The
Olympics is the pinnacle of the sport that’s a lifelong ambition. It’s even worse when the reasons
for you not being able to compete are completely outside of your control….1980 obviously was
for political reasons. And then 2020 obviously, to save lives. But I don’t think it’s ever going to
diminish their pain, and we will all have similar feelings come next year.”
Given his experience with a postponement of his dreams, Moffet has a message for
athletes still hoping to compete next year — stay positive and stick with your dreams. “You just
got to give it everything you have because the regret of not doing that I think would possibly be
greater than the regret of trying absolutely as hard as you can. And then if something happens
and you don’t qualify, at least you don't kick yourself for not trying as hard as you could.”

17
Chapter 8: Quarantine Life and a Look Forward
Olympic-caliber athletes are used to traveling and being away from their loved ones as a
sacrifice to their hours of training a day. But stay-at-home orders during quarantine have opened
up new opportunities for these athletes who are used to putting their training ahead of everything
else — such as spending time with family. “On the flip side of all this, quarantine has allowed
me to spend more time with my family,” said USA Track runner, Tee Tee Terry
36
. “I am usually
practicing and traveling so much that I rarely have time to visit home and see them. So I’m not
taking this for granted.”
Benjamin, whose family is from Mount Vernon, New York, said his quarantine
experience isn’t any different than his usual training life as going out or seeing friends on
weekends was never part of his schedule. “You go to practice from about 9 a.m. to about 1 p.m.,
I go home, shower, go to Whole Foods, cook or eat and by the time I’m sitting down it's 6
o’clock and I’ve gotta get ready to do this the next day,” Benjamin. “I usually have practice on a
Saturday as well, so I really didn’t have much time to do fun stuff. This quarantine is just
everyday life for me. I am always home, I am always chilling.”
However, Benjamin said quarantine has taught him to be a more grateful person for what
he has been given as an Olympic hopeful. “What it has done, though, has helped me to self-
reflect and try to be better as a person, I would say. I was always on the go so much that I lost
sight of that a bit, maybe a lot a bit.”
Despite the struggles that quarantine has brought into these Olympic hopefuls’ lives,
there is still an overwhelming sense of positivity and hope for 2021. Some would-be Olympians
have even said that the stay-at-home orders have made them more hungry and grateful for the

36
Tee Tee Terry, interviewed by author, April 17, 2020.
18
chance to compete on an Olympic stage. “I used to complain about getting on these long plane
rides to Europe and now I miss that. I miss the atmosphere; I miss stepping into a stadium and
having the whole crowd in front of you. So, I’m definitely looking forward to that next year, not
taking that for granted and just enjoying every single moment,” Benjamin said.
Hauschild says she has been dreaming to compete in the Olympics since she was a kid
and this setback doesn’t change that goal. “I was talking to one of my teammates recently, and
when the news came out, we were both really sad….And then she said we've waited our entire
lives for this moment...what's one more year? And so you kind of look at it that way... it's going
to be just as special or even more special when we get there because of what we had to go
through to get there,” Hauschild said.
Make no mistake, the coronavirus pandemic has forced athletes, coaches and even
organizers to be adaptable during a time of uncertainty and change. In May 2020, the IOC said it
would donate up to $800 million to help cover the costs of the postponement, which is expected
to mean a loss of a billion dollars or more for Japan
37
. But there is still hope that the postponed
Summer Olympic Games can reunite a divided world in 2021 … and that would be priceless.

37
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Abstract (if available)

Abstract The 2020 Summer Olympic Games were originally scheduled from July 23rd-August 8th in Tokyo, Japan. However, in January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly from its origin in Wuhan, China to the rest of the globe. The world began shutting down in response to a rising number of cases that caused sickness and deaths on a global scale. This article explores how the rise of the pandemic led to an Olympic postponement and how this affects athletes, coaches and more who were expected to be in attendance.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Adams, Julia Kathleen (author)

Core Title The road to Tokyo 2021: uncovering the Olympics postponement in a COVID-19 world

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism

Publication Date 07/25/2020

Defense Date 07/22/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag 2020,OAI-PMH Harvest,Olympics,Sports,Tokyo,USC Athletics

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Abrahamson, Alan Yale (committee chair), Fellenzer, Jeff (committee member), Turner, Myra Penelope (committee member)

Creator Email juliaada@usc.edu,juliakathleenadams@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-343582

Unique identifier UC11664031

Identifier etd-AdamsJulia-8737.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-343582 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-AdamsJulia-8737.pdf

Dmrecord 343582

Document Type Thesis

Rights Adams, Julia Kathleen

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA