# What happens if Japan cancels the Olympics? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [May 27, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038 "2021-05-27T14:24:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/61 "2021-05-30T13:11:14Z")
With fewer cities bidding to host and citizens objecting to the ones that do (see Boston), dispersed sites may become a necessity soon. I’m good with that; the current amount of corruption and waste is abhorrent to me. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/62 "2021-05-30T13:53:00Z")
Dispersed sites just make it a collection of redundant world championships. The pageantry of the opening, closing, and medal ceremonies, and the hypernationalism is all that sets the Olympics apart from normal competition. It’s really just a vestige of the Cold War when the superpowers needed surrogates to actual combat like the space race. By all rights, the Olympics probably should have gone the way of moon landings decades ago. It’s getting to the point where the Olympics are about as relevant as the League of Nations. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/63 "2021-05-30T14:30:38Z")
Nah. IMHO what makes it the Olympics is that it’s this time when they do all these things at the same time, and people watch on TV who wouldn’t normally watch most or any of the individual sports on display. Sure, have your opening ceremony. Have one main place but cut to other places. Sure, they have live spectstors, but, for most people, it’s the broadcast they care about. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/64 "2021-06-02T11:45:15Z")
The world can certainly do without the hypernationalism and medal counts. Both are serious turnoffs to grounded viewers who want to watch the best in the world compete without the enmity of ideology. It’s all just so tedious and outdated, the pageantry, the flag waving, the national anthems. We’re not that kind of world any more. Break 'em up, spread the events around, have fun and stop bankrupting cities. ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/65 "2021-06-02T15:22:56Z")
Burn the cartoonishly villainous IOC to the ground and start over. Build something sustainable. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/66 "2021-06-02T15:25:32Z")
Sustainable is at odds with the whole idea of the Olympics, of thousands of people flying to one place to compete against each other. ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/67 "2021-06-02T15:30:45Z")
Sustainable as an ongoing event rather than necessarily ecologically. The current situation is unsustainable for reasons not directly connected to how green it is or isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/68 "2021-06-03T00:00:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > This is the Las Vegas Strip we’re talking about, right? There’s plenty of lighting. I’ve actually run that marathon (or walk-run the half marathon if you want to be technical about it). And it’s a mess. It the marathon isn’t out and back - it’s out for a while-back and cross the start line - out in the other direction - do a weird loop with some double backs inside the loops - back part way-do a bunch of other weird loops some of which cross over themselves-back some more - end at the finish line with a bunch of people complaining that they got lost and their pedometers showing somewhere between 22 & 30 miles, depending on how that particular person got mis-routed. I’m sure that the IOC would do things much differently - but RnR Vegas is not a good example of successful or even competent race management. (Other nighttime races have similar issues. That one is just egregiously bad.) I think a distributed Olympics could totally work - if it were bid on and planned that way in advance. If a group of cities got together and said “We, as a group, want Olympics 2032” it could work and fall under the “spirit of the olympics.” You could have the pageantry (which I like - and a well coordinated, multi-venue opening ceremony could be really, really cool). You’d still get competition. But it’s too late to do it well for 2020/1. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/69 "2021-06-03T00:37:21Z")
I’m definitely a traditionalist and prefer the Olympics to have just one host city. Give me everything, the flags, parade of nations, the nationalism, everything. I do agree that the IOC needs to quit awarding the games to developing nations, although Brazil was an up and comer back when they got the games. South Korea was far more of a developed country when they got the games in 1988. I hope Japan blows us all away with a spectacular Olympiad. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/70 "2021-06-03T00:43:19Z")
One thing I’ve liked about some recent Olympics is that they’ve anchored cruise ships at port to use as floating hotels. Some of them have _thousands_ of passenger cabins, so they can reduce the need to build more hotels than the market can support long term. When the games are over, the cruise ships just go back to the regular routes. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/71 "2021-06-03T01:05:54Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Give me everything, the flags, parade of nations, the nationalism, everything. IOW all the stuff that has nothing, and I mean _nothing_ to do with athletic contribution. And everything, and I do mean _everything_ to do with promoting jingoistic racist nationalist crap exactly in the spirit of Hitler’s 1936 Nazi debacle. Makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/72 "2021-06-03T01:29:25Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I hope Japan blows us all away with a spectacular Olympiad. Don’t hold your breath: > **[10,000 Olympic volunteers reportedly quit prior to 2020 Tokyo Games](https://abcnews.go.com/US/10000-olympic-volunteers-reportedly-quit-prior-2020-tokyo/story?id=78046112)** > > The report comes amid growing calls to cancel the games. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/73 "2021-06-03T01:30:59Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And everything, and I do mean _everything_ to do with promoting jingoistic racist nationalist crap exactly in the spirit of Hitler’s 1936 Nazi debacle. I think you’re completely wrong. I compare the Parade of Nations to something as innocent as a 4th of July parade in the USA. It ain’t the Nuremberg rallies. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/74 "2021-06-07T22:24:28Z")
I really love the parade of nations. And not so that I can get super-hyped for the Americans to show up and be like “yeah, more of us than there are of you, lame stupid small countries! USA! USA!”. But because we DO get to see all the countries (other than ones that skipped over in ad breaks, of course). It makes the world feel smaller and more unified when the 2 people from Tonga and 5 people from Bangladesh and 30 people from Algeria etc etc etc are all right there, wearing national outfits (sort of), mingling together, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/75 "2021-06-07T22:43:11Z")
And for many of the athletes, the parade of nations is basically their moment in the spotlight. Lots of them have worked very hard for years to be the best at their sport in their country but are not the best at their sport in the world, so they know they probably aren’t going to go home with medals. But they’re there to represent their country. (And I imagine it must be fun to meet people from other countries, either in the same sport or in unrelated sports.) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/76 "2021-06-08T13:25:55Z")
Yes, yes, that’s all wonderful and memorable. We can’t afford the luxury of it any more. Signed, Grumpy Old Guy Who Hates Ceremony ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/77 "2021-06-08T13:34:17Z")
If the Olympics go ahead it’s going to look sad as hell. This could be a terrible humiliation. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/78 "2021-06-08T14:57:19Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > Yes, yes, that’s all wonderful and memorable. We can’t afford the luxury of it any more. Who is ‘we?’ ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/79 "2021-06-08T15:58:50Z")
The IOC should change its mind and allow the Olympics to be postponed to 2022 when Covid is likely to be under control. A complete cancellation would be a huge loss and just ploughing ahead is obviously risky. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038/80 "2021-06-08T16:12:08Z")
I’m shocked it hasn’t been postponed to 2022 yet. Not only would an Olympics today be dangerous, but it would be an utter mockery and travesty, all those empty seats and meager showings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-japan-cancels-the-olympics/943038.md?page=5)