Sporting Life

In these dreadful times, the Olympics must look to 2021

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Fencer Amita Berthier is a slim stem of a woman with an energy bordering on the ferocious who is still trying to get to the Olympics. Her university in America, Notre Dame, has suspended all athletic events and practices so she's shifted to a club in Kentucky. Still training, still focused on qualifying, still dreaming, because that's what athletes instinctively do.

They'll keep pushing till we tell them to stop and maybe it's finally time to say enough. Maybe we're endangering athletes as the virus flares by not postponing the Olympics. Maybe we're creating an unfair environment - how do Italians, who are in lockdown, train at such a time? - by not deferring this Games. It might break an athlete's heart but the International Olympic Committee should announce a delay. Metaphorical hearts heal, but this is about real health.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 19, 2020, with the headline In these dreadful times, the Olympics must look to 2021. Subscribe