A screen displays an online gathering with volunteers for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in July 2020. Photo: Nippon Foundation Volunteer Support Center/Handout via REUTERS
tokyo 2020 olympics

Waiting for Tokyo: How 110,000 Olympic volunteers put their lives on hold

6 Comments
By Elaine Lies

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6 Comments
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the volunteers are being very patient.

i wouldn't resist this many scandals and lack of leadership.

respect! you're stronger than i will ever be.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

There are many other options that volunteers could be dedicating their time and money to, things that are much better organized, without scandals, well received by the general public and that do not have to increase the risk of the pandemic on the population. 

If the main motive is altruism it is not hard to find something to do, even if the main purpose is to have fun while helping at something the games seems like a very poor option.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

its corps of volunteers - has had to recalibrate lives, put vacations or returns to home countries on hold and seek out part-time jobs in Japan so they are still free to volunteer.

"Definitely the world is going to come to an end if I do not volunteer to these most sacred games"

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The IOC and local organisers rely on volunteers, mostly unpaid, gifted their uniforms and a chance to 'rub shoulders' with athletes; while they fill their coffers with gold from sponsors and broadcast fees. And this year, rubbing shoulders is definitely out, vaccination or not.

A little generosity from them might go a long way to reversing the poor image and avarice of these modern Lords of the Rings.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Madness in every sense of the word. Some reasons why. But, i say this with all respect to each individual volunteer.

1) 110.000 volunteers create chaos by themselves. The organizers have to use huge resources, to train them, equip them and manage them. They are, sorry to say, for all practical reasons more of a nuisance than a help. 10.000 would more than enough.

2) the “jobs” for most of them have disappeared as no foreign guests will attend. Nobody to show around or guide.crowd control almost unneeded.

3) The volunteers get abused and are used as a PR tool to show how the public engages with the Games.

4) There are nearly 10.000 volunteers from outside of Japan who actually, despite all goodwill are again more of a problem than a help.

5) The organizers are the first to show enormous disrespect to these people by giving them next to nothing while huge budgets have been spent and many have enriched themselves. Not in the least, Dentsu.

6) Why is it there can be special torch relay sponsors( coca cola, Nissay, Ntt..) but no specific Volunteer sponsor. In my opinion, as an expert, a very interesting sponsorship category with good ROI.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

It seems like things surrounding the Olympic Games for this summer have not been well organized.

If the goal was to have fans in the stands, then the vaccine rollout should have started much sooner. At this point, it looks like a number of actual contestants will not be able to attend, because of a lack of planning.

Things have not been well planned for.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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