tokyo 2020 olympics

Serena Williams says she will not play at Tokyo Olympics

18 Comments
By HOWARD FENDRICH

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18 Comments
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An admirable preemptive announcement from a person that previously did some less-than-admirable ranting:

“I’m actually not on the Olympic list. ... Not that I’m aware of. If so, then I shouldn’t be on it,” Williams said.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Naomi... ?

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

Olympic village jail, I mean bubble, playbook rules, cafeteria food and cardboard beds are just not millionaire tennis player’s style. Now if they could join the IOC dignitaries and Biden’s wife in the 5 star hotels and lavish banquets they might reconsider

7 ( +14 / -7 )

Good for her. Much as her attitude can sometimes leave a lot to be desired, as a player she has almost nothing left to prove and a medal at these games would do nothing to add to her reputation. I’d like to see more top athletes announce their absence from the games. These Olympics deserve to be a complete disaster from start to finish, and the more top athletes pull out, the better.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Olympic village jail, I mean bubble, playbook rules, cafeteria food and cardboard beds are just not millionaire tennis player’s style. Now if they could join the IOC dignitaries and Biden’s wife in the 5 star hotels and lavish banquets they might reconsider

excellent point

 I’d like to see more top athletes announce their absence from the games. These Olympics deserve to be a complete disaster from start to finish, and the more top athletes pull out, the better.

hear hear

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

If she wasnt on the list, then why is she stating she isnt going? Was she supposed to go as an advisor or coach?

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Serena Williams has been saying for a while that she will not go anywhere her 3 year old daughter cannot go. Who is ironically named Olympia! Olympic medals are not such a big deal for tennis players. Not the biggest prize as is the case with many other sports.

Excitement is building for the Olympics here in Australia. Teams are being announced and some are travelling to Japan already. All vaccinated I think.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

I know pressure. Sometimes, you just have had enough. I sincerely hope she enjoys her retirement - and new life.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Did she not want to give an interview?

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Why would that be an issue for Wms @zichi 9:09am? - Even Canadian athletes are willing to leave their newborns behind to compete in these ridiculous Games.

*- **@zichi 9:09am:She does not want to be separated from her daughter*

Jun 25 “Need to breastfeed could block Canadian's path to Olympics” - *A Canadian basketball player is being “forced to decide between being a breastfeeding mom or an Olympic athlete.*”
1 ( +3 / -2 )

Good.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

"I really haven’t thought about it, so I’m going to keep not thinking about it.”

translated: "None of your business."

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Some dudeToday  07:58 am JST

Good for her. Much as her attitude can sometimes leave a lot to be desired, as a player she has almost nothing left to prove and a medal at these games would do nothing to add to her reputation. I’d like to see more top athletes announce their absence from the games. These Olympics deserve to be a complete disaster from start to finish, and the more top athletes pull out, the better.

If I were in her shoes, or that of any athlete I wouldn't go. CoVid-19 isn't over yet.

The Olympics are going to be a bomb.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I would have liked to hear those reasons but not enough to push anybody to answer, maybe she just don't want to collaborate with the unjustified increase of risk, maybe she was not really interested in the event from before, maybe she has just not recovered.

The important thing is that at least she has the opportunity to skip the games without having to say goodbye to her career, that is a luxury that many other athletes don't.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The US pays only $25,000 for a gold medal, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze, so in the rarified financial air that Williams lives in, that might not be enough to entice her to leave her child. She already has gold medals.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

She won't go because her daughter can't be with her (or it won't be a joyful experience even if they could)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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