Hockey matches on the Tokyo Olympics is not going to be postponed or rescheduled if a number of gamers from a workforce take a look at constructive for Covid-19, a high govt of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) mentioned.
Thierry Weil, the FIH chief govt, asserted that whoever will get contaminated through the Olympics must go into quarantine and all shut contacts will probably be examined as per the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) playbooks. However, he added that the IOC is ‘still consulting’ federations concerning the protocols for workforce sports activities.
Earlier this 12 months, the IOC launched two variations of its ‘playbooks’ which define Covid-19 countermeasures for the Olympics. The last model is predicted to be launched later this month, which organisers say will present larger readability. Nonetheless, there may be uncertainty amongst gamers and coaches because the playbooks don’t make clear the principles for workforce sports activities.
“Whoever tests positive will have to go into quarantine. They will then test the people in close contact…,” Weil mentioned.
“It’s not completely finalised yet. The IOC is still consulting with different team sports… this question is important for team sports. Will the entire team not play? But if one player tests positive, it’s not like the game will be postponed. That’s not possible (when) you have such a tight programme. They (IOC) are working heavily. I believe we will know within the next few weeks.”
With Thursday marking the 50-day countdown to the Games, Weil mentioned he was ‘optimistic’ that they are going to start as scheduled on July 23 regardless of the rising calls, inside Japan, for postponement or cancellation.
The IOC is adamant to press forward with the Olympics since a serious a part of their income is generated by the marquee occasion. Part of that earnings is then distributed to the varied worldwide sports activities federations. The pandemic has put much more stress on the game’s funds – the FIH made a lack of USD 700,000 in 2019 in keeping with insidethegames.biz – and Weil said that the cash obtained from the IOC is ‘a big part of our income.’
“On the financial side, we get contributions from the Games. All international federations get it. If you look into our financial reports, that’s clearly a big part of our income. That’s an important part,” he mentioned.
He added that as a lot because the monetary facet, the Olympics can be a platform for the game to be ‘seen by the entire world’.
“Clearly that it is the best window for our sport to be seen by the entire world. Even more (viewership is expected) this time – I do believe there would be more TV viewers than before given people will not travel to the Games. For us, it’s an important platform to promote hockey,” he mentioned.
Weil, the previous advertising and marketing director of world soccer physique FIFA mentioned there isn’t a Plan B in case the Olympics don’t happen as scheduled.
“If you are optimistic, you have no Plan B,” he laughed.
He insisted the gamers he has spoken to are wanting ahead to competing in Tokyo. But in a situation the place the Games should not held subsequent month, Weil mentioned everybody must slug it out collectively till 2024 when the subsequent Olympics will probably be held in Paris.
“From an athletes’ point of view, they will need to continuously train, to stay in the highest level to participate in the next Games. It will be complicated for some but I’m sure that’s what they will do,” Weil added. “From the financial side, if you get less income, you spend less. Then you will have to adapt your plans, adapt your spending.”