Athletes praise Paralympic experience but public mixed

Meanwhile, a taxi driver in his 70s said he changed the channel whenever he saw Olympic and Paralympic events on TV.

"I used to be a big Olympic fan, but I don't understand why they were held in Tokyo when we are having a difficult time with the coronavirus," he said. "Schools have canceled sports festivals, so what makes it OK to hold the Olympics and Paralympics?"

Of all the narrow-minded 70 year olds heading the government, its a pity guys like this are only in a taxi.

I get that the athletes feel safe in their bubbles, but same cannot be said for the millions of us whose tax money go to creating a safe environment for them while we suffer outside of the bubbles.

 but the public expressed mixed views about the games that were staged amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The public usually means a large amount of people who frequent a place or occupy a place

Meanwhile, a taxi driver in his 70s said he changed the channel whenever he saw Olympic and Paralympic events on TV.

"I used to be a big Olympic fan, but I don't understand why they were held in Tokyo when we are having a difficult time with the coronavirus," he said. "Schools have canceled sports festivals, so what makes it OK to hold the Olympics and Paralympics?"

Are they implying that he speaks for all of Japan? Including non-Japanese since he is reguarded as "the public"?

I feel bad for Japan. All the years of preparation for the Olympic gone to waste. But kudos they still manage to execute it barely. It is still a great achievement though. Thanks for showing that despite the adversities, there's hope. This is the new norm for the world, the only question is how people are going to look at it. Is it fear or hope?

@cracaphat - Not sure which box you want to put me in but I'm pro - vax, anti lockdown, pro - mask and unequivocally pro - sport. However, the government and IOC didn't have to knowingly contribute to, and worsen an already concerning virus outbreak. Tokyo 2024, I'd have been delighted with, I'd have got tickets and gone to Tokyo.

Thankyou paralympians for your participation in the games.

It takes real determination and guts to participate and especially during these difficult times.

Pay no attention to people that can't appreciate you.

Are they implying that he speaks for all of Japan? Including non-Japanese since he is reguarded as "the public"?

No, but it sure seems that you think its so!

If you cant appreciate a paralympian then your obviously disabled yourself.

What is the point in holding the paralympics if normal disabled athletes cannot do sports as a result of the surge in cases?

"It's tough," she said. "But I think we had a ball, really, it's just different and we knew that. We're happy that the games were able to go ahead, and go ahead safely."

I hope she knows that the Japanese people & us residents have NOT been in a safe environment now since the pandemic started!

I have done a lot of work on these cursed games on the logistic side, myself & many I met did/do NOT appreciate that these games went ahead most of were utterly unprotected yet we met face to face with staff from various countries at airports, hotels, warehouses, back of trucks, the venues.......

Many did not feel even remotely safe I can tell you that! Those of our ilk that caught covid are listed under contractors & the like, the expendable's if you will!

At first I was ambivalent at best, but there were so many heart-warming happenings that I could not help myself being drawn in. The logistics were awe-inspiring, and the spirit of the volunteers was marvelous. OK, it was a calculated health risk and the whole thing cost shed-loads of money, but to balance those out, the memories will shine forever.

@cracaphat

But if you want utopia, best live it in your head.Because we know damn sure yours or mine aren't.

I think there is a massive difference between demanding a utopia and thinking that a sporting event shouldn't be held during a pandemic.

Some things need to be done even if there is some risk, even if it may result in some deaths. That's where the concept of essential workers came from, people who society depends on to function.

An event that exists ultimately for entertainment alone is not worth that kind of risk. That isn't limited to the Olympics either, I feel the same about large-scale public events like concerts as well. Society is not dependent on athletes or musicians to survive, and while they may enrich our lives they can wait until things are more under control.

We aren't trying for a utopia, we are just shooting for "not dystopia" right now.

My experience speaking with an listening to Japanese people in the community, is that their feelings have be very UNmixed. Overwhelmingly they have felt that while they were originally pleased Japan got to host the games, to a person they wanted the Games to be postponed to a hopefully safer time, like in 3 years. Not in the least mixed. Unlike me who felt since the bid that a corrupt process, false promises about our mild and pleasant summer, lies about the extent of the nuclear disaster, and shameless exploitation of the people of Tohoku who were going to have a born again experience, turned me off it from the start. The pandemic was almost the icing on the cake

Are they implying that he speaks for all of Japan? Including non-Japanese since he is reguarded as "the public"?

No, but it sure seems that you think its so!

Well, the way the article was written makes it seem so because the title says "the public is mixed", yet they asked one 70 year old taxi driver and based the fact thaqt the public was mixed on one person! I can understand if they asked a few people and they all had the same opinion, but 1 person isn't the public.

I think I'm done with this site!

@Namban. It's not about so-called boxes to me,but the stances that people have taken. And 80%+ on here have been a no.

The government’s stance was 100% a yes. They didn’t think about boxes either. Just their stance.

That’s inexcusable.

Shocking. Are the athletes going to curse the games they wanted to attend? Of course, the general public is mixed. Half or more took issue with the $15.4 billion USD price tag as well as holding these games during the heat of a pandemic.

I think I'm done with this site!

Well, you could always log into one of your other accounts or start a new one again.

4,400 athletes from 160 countries made all the sacrifices and came out victorious. It is a memorable experience for the participants, their loved ones, their admirers, and the Tokyo Games organizers. Well done.