2020 Olympics Postponed – Here’s How Athletes Pass The Time

Organized every four years in a different location, the Summer Olympics are without a doubt the world’s most revered international sporting competition. These anticipated games gather athletes of all nationalities who showcase their mastery in more than 30 sports, from judo and archery to basketball and tennis. Scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this year, the games were postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

In tandem with the International Olympic Committee’s president Thomas Bach, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe deemed it best to adjourn this year’s competition to safeguard the wellbeing of all the participants, athletes, organizers, and spectators, noting that this is a first in the history of the Olympics. The games were only canceled three times in times of war but never postponed due to a global health crisis.

Now, many of us wonder how the participating athletes deal with this temporary delay and how they’re passing the time waiting for next year. Here’s a friendly guide that might give you some answers.

IMAGE: PEXELS

Home Practice

With nearly half of the world’s population quarantined and many countries under lockdown, sports facilities including gyms, swimming pools, courts, and fields are completely shut down to prevent public gatherings and control the spread of the Coronavirus. This is a major inconvenience for professional players who depend on such facilities to train. Instead, several have chosen to work out at home, such as martial arts pros who do not need an excessive amount of equipment.

While not all sports are suited for home practice, this homepage along with many others allows seasoned basketball players to continue training from the comfort of their backyards. Many have indeed decided to upgrade their outdoor areas to make them more suitable for the professional athletic activity, either with a sturdy basketball hoop, a volleyball net, or an archer’s stand. While this isn’t always feasible depending on the nature of the discipline, athletes continue to find ways to adjust and keep up with their intensive practice.

Social Media Activity

The current Coronavirus outbreak is affecting virtually everyone around the globe. However, in these dire times, we can all find a little comfort in our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds to keep in touch with our entourage and stay aware of the latest health statistics and developments. We’re seeing more and more athletes share stories, posts, and reactions as to how they spend their lives in isolation.

With so much time to spare, many have partaken in social media challenges, while others have shared their newfound pastimes to keep their followers entertained. This is notably the case of soccer players Marcus Rashford and Phil Fidel from the UK, who we can see take part in the famous ‘toilet paper roll’ Instagram challenge.

Family Time

With public facilities and venues temporarily closed and authorities encouraging people to stay at home, the ongoing pandemic is indeed an opportunity for everyone to spend quality time with their loved ones. This is notably a chance for professional athletes to settle down, take a break from frequent and tiresome traveling, and engage in home activities with their spouses and children.

Cooking, baking, gaming, watching a movie, listening to music, there are countless ways to pass the time together amid this global health threat that’s bringing the world to a grinding halt. We’ve even seen famous Liverpool FC player James Milner on Twitter preparing supplies to homeschool his kids!

Donating

As the health crisis progresses, healthcare systems and infrastructure are overwhelmed and quickly starting to show their limits. Thankfully, celebrities from all walks of life, including professional athletes, have rallied and are making great contributions to help medical teams and other temporarily laid-off staff. For instance, the Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer, one of the best-paid athletes of all time, has already donated 1 million dollars to fight the pandemic.

Likewise, basketball player Zion Williamson has announced that he would contribute to covering the salaries of all those working in New Orleans’ Arena, the Smoothie King Center.

All in all, the COVID-19 crisis has put the world of athletics on hold. Everywhere, competitions are being postponed, or canceled altogether, in an attempt to ensure the safety and well-being of sports fans and athletes around the world. The upheaval is certainly taking a toll on a great number of professional athletes who, with the postponement of the Tokyo Games in 2021, continue to find creative ways to pass the time and stay fit. In the end, we’ll all be able to watch our favorite sports entertainment once the pandemic is effectively contained.

If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.

IMAGE: PEXELS