Tokyo2020 위기에 즈음하여 Bach IOC위원장이 전 세계 선수들에게 보내는 편지(Letter from President Thomas Bach OLY to Athletes) 발췌

[Tokyo2020 위기에 즈음하여 Bach IOC위원장이 전 세계 선수들에게 보내는 편지(Letter from President Thomas Bach OLY to Athletes) 발췌]

 

 

전대미문, 미증유, 전례 없는 글로벌 위기(코로나바이러스)는 Tokyo2020올림픽개최여부를 불투명하고 하고 있다.

연이어 대회연기촉구가 미국 트럼프대통령을 위시하여 여러 나라 개개인 선수들은 물론 올림픽위원회, 종목경기단체(미국 육상 및 수영연맹 등)를 비롯 각계각층에서 연일 쇄도하고 있다. 이에 대하여 IOC 역시 전례 없이 연달아 IOC집행위원회를 소집하여 Tokyo2020관련 대책마련에 고심하고 있다.

올림픽취소보다 연기 쪽으로 가닥을 잡아 대안마련을 위한 총력전에 들어갔지만 대회 연기 또한 그렇게 만만치 않은 상황이다.

지구촌 코로나바이러스의 특성 중 하나인 ‘불확실성’(uncertainty)으로 인해 IOC는 여러 가지 다른 시나리오를 구상 중이다.

올림픽개최를 주관하고 있는 IOC가 적시하고 있는 딜레마는,

1)   올림픽취소는 206개 각국올림픽위원회와 IOC난민올림픽팀에서 훈련하여 참가하기로 되어 있는 11,000명에 달하는 전 세계 선수들과 패럴림픽 선수들을 비롯하여 그들을 지원하는 코치 팀 닥터, 임원, 훈련파트너, 친구들 및 가족 모두의 올림픽 꿈을 사정 없이 통째로 짓밟아 버리는 것으로,

2)   대회취소는 어떤 문제 건 해결책이 아니며 아무에게도 도움이 되지 않는다

3)   그래서 IOC는 대회취소는 의제안건에 없다고 못 박고 있다.

 

올림픽대회연기 결정을 내린다 해도 새로운 날짜 결단이 불가하다. 왜냐하면 코로나바이러스가 두 방향으로 전개되고 있는데 많은 국가들이 취한 엄격한 조치 덕분에 나아지는 방향으로 선회하기도 하지만 또 몇 몇 나라처럼 더 악화되고 있는 상황이 동시에 전개되고 있기 때문이다.

다른 단일 종목스포츠의 경우와 반하여 올림픽대회 연기는 극단적으로 복잡미묘다단 한 도전과제다.

예를 들면, 올림픽에 소요되는 많은 수의 중요한 경기장들이 이미 건설되어 있는 상태에서 향후에는 그 경기장들이 잠재적으로 더 이상 가용불가 하게 되어 있다.

수 많은 각급 호텔들에 이미 예약된 수 백만 객실 일수 상황은 주체하기가 극단적으로 난감하며 전 세계에 걸쳐 최소 33개 올림픽스포츠종목의 다양한 시합에 할당된 경기일정 또한 조율되어야 할 것인데 이것들은 헤쳐 나아가야 할 더 많은 도전과제들 중 단지 일부일 뿐이다.

따라서 각기 다른 시나리오 탐색 및 방안마련을 위하여서는 Tokyo2020조직위원회, 일본 관계당국, 모든 하계올림픽종목국제연맹들과 각국 올림픽위원회들 및 모든 올림픽관련 이해당사자들과의 약속과 협조를 풀 가동할 시스템구축에 따른 제반 필요사항 조율 과제가 수반된다. 이 패러다임에는 전 세계 바이러스 전개상황악화 측면에서 그리고 시나리오 전개 다음단계로써 IOC집행위원회가 착수한 올림픽대회에 대한 공동운명체 정신이 뒤따라야 하는 것이리라. 그렇게 앞으로 4주 안에 대회연기 시나리오도 함께 검토될 것이다.

 

다음은 Thomas Bach IOC위원장이 전 세계 선수들에게 호소하는 편지 원문이다:

 

 

 

 

Letter from President Thomas Bach OLY to athletes

Dear Fellow Athletes,

In this unprecedented crisis we are all united.

Like you, we are very much concerned about what the COVID-19 pandemic is doing to people’s lives. Human lives take precedence over everything, including the staging of the Games. The IOC wants to be part of the solution. Therefore we have made it our leading principle to safeguard the health of everyone involved, and to contribute to containing the virus. I would like to assure you that we will adhere to this in all our decisions concerning the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The road to Tokyo is very different for each of you, coming from 206 NOCs. Many of you cannot prepare and train in the way you are used to, or even not at all because of the anti-COVID-19 measures in your country. Many of you are in training and are looking forward to making your Olympic dream come true. Many of you are already qualified for the Games; a significant number are not.

What we all share, however, is tremendous uncertainty. This uncertainty rocks our nerves and raises or strengthens doubts about a positive future; it destroys hope. Some even have to fear for their very existence. This uncertainty stems from the fact that, at this moment, nobody can really make fully reliable statements about the duration of this fight against the virus. This is true for sport, science, the media, politics, and all of society. Therefore also the IOC can unfortunately not answer all your questions. This is why we are relying on the advice of a Task Force including the World Health Organization (WHO).

As successful athletes, you know that we should never give up, even if the chance to succeed appears to be very small. Our commitment to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is based on this experience. It is our experience as athletes that you must always be ready to adapt to new situations. For this reason we have, as indicated before, been thinking in different scenarios and are adapting them almost day by day.

On the one hand, there are significant improvements in Japan where the people are warmly welcoming the Olympic flame. This could strengthen our confidence in our Japanese hosts that we could, with certain safety restrictions, organise Olympic Games in the country whilst respecting our principle of safeguarding the health of everyone involved. On the other hand, we have seen a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of the virus in different countries on different continents. This is why we have to undertake the next step in our scenarios.

I think I can feel with those among you who consider the situation to be unsatisfactory. Even though, in very different circumstances and for very different reasons, I had an experience of uncertainty as an athlete in the lead-up to the Olympic Games Moscow 1980. We were uncertain whether the Games would take place and whether we would be allowed to participate. Quite frankly, I would have preferred it if the decision-makers then would have taken more time to decide on a more sound basis of information.

Our basis of information today is that a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 now would still be premature.

So, like you, we are in a dilemma: Cancellation of the Olympic Games would destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees, from the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, most likely for the Paralympic athletes, and for all the people who are supporting you as coaches, doctors, officials, training partners, friends and family. Cancellation would not solve any problem and would help nobody. Therefore it is not on our agenda.

A decision about a postponement today could not determine a new date for the Olympic Games because of the uncertain developments in both directions: an improvement, as we are seeing in a number of countries thanks to the severe measures being taken, or a deteriorating situation in other countries.

Contrary to other sports events, to postpone the Olympic Games is an extremely complex challenge. Just to give you some examples:

A number of critical venues needed for the Games could potentially not be available anymore. The situations with millions of nights already booked in hotels is extremely difficult to handle, and the international sports calendar for at least 33 Olympic sports would have to be adapted. These are just a few of many, many more challenges.

Therefore, further the study of different scenarios, it would need the full commitment and cooperation of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Japanese authorities, and of all the International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and all stakeholders of the Olympic Games. It is in light of the worldwide deteriorating situation, and in the spirit of our shared commitment to the Olympic Games, that the IOC Executive Board has today initiated the next step in our scenarios.

Together with all the stakeholders, we have started detailed discussions today to complete our assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including a scenario of postponement. We are working very hard, and we are confident that we will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks.

I know that this unprecedented situation leaves many of your questions open. I also know that this rational approach may not be in line with the emotions many of you have to go through. Therefore, as we try to address your situation and the questions you may have about your training, your qualification systems and your participation in the Games, we encourage you to keep an eye out for updates on Athlete365, but also to stay in close contact with your NOCs and National Federations.

I wish, and we all are working for this, that the hope of so many athletes, NOCs and IFs from all five continents have expressed will be fulfilled: that at the end of this dark tunnel we are all going through together, not knowing how long it is, the Olympic flame will be a light at the end of this tunnel.

As a fellow Olympian, I hope that you can understand our challenge, and accept and support our principles which are to safeguard your, your families’ and everyone’s health, and to keep your Olympic dream alive.

Wishing you, your families and your friends first of all good health and all the best, I remain, with kind regards,

 

 

*References:

-IOC website