The recent decision to ban all spectators from the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics makes this more than a philosophical or scientific query. Insofar as there are athletes who respond well to the pressure of an enthusiastic crowd of spectators and others less well, it’s fair to say that the results of the games may wind up being somewhat different than what the experts are forecasting, and medals may find themselves draped around a different set of necks than what is expected.
Needless to say, it didn’t take long before concerns regarding spectator-less competition were voiced by the participating athletes. Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios withdrew from the games, expressing candidly that his performance would not be up to par without an enthusiastic crowd applauding his serves and volleys. And the extraordinarily talented American gymnast Simone Biles has confessed that she is at her best when under pressure, and is not a little concerned about the impact that competing in front of empty seats will have on her performance.
This, of course, may be least of the concerns Olympic Games organizers, Japanese politicians and Tokyo authorities are currently struggling with. The virus itself has managed to sneak into the Olympic Village, and participants from a number of different countries have already been infected or have been forced into quarantine. Given that the pandemic is far from behind us and has reached a state of emergency in Japan, exactly how the games will proceed is undoubtedly being hotly debated. The assumption, however, is that the games will go on as scheduled. Nonetheless, the question of how the absence of spectators will affect performance needs to be addressed.
Locally, Israel is sending a large contingent of athletes to Tokyo, and judging from the results of international competition over the last year or so, our blue-and-white clad participants have more than a reasonable chance of reaching the winner’s podium in at least three sports: rhythmic gymnastics, judo and baseball. Each of these three sports generally takes place in the presence of large crowds, so will Tokyo’s empty playing fields and gyms adversely affect the concentration, balance and reflexes required of the participating athletes?
Here is where coaches and trainers will be most valuable. Experts are suggesting that the athletes will need to master a variety of mental techniques that focus on heart rate and breathing; in other words, together with the use of imagery, an athlete’s five senses and body must be trained to simulate the excitement and rush typically associated with performing in front of large crowds.
EACH ATHLETE is, obviously, unique, but mental preparation is required for all. If an athlete cannot get properly worked up without the encouragement of a crowd of spectators, then he or she must find a way to get properly worked up on their own.
The use of simulation is not new to the training regimen of world-class athletes. In general, this methodology provides an opportunity to train in an environment that is similar to the one in which the competition will take place, enabling the players to become familiar with different conditions – audience enthusiasm, weather, external noises – that are likely to be encountered. Simulating an environment involving the absence of spectators, on the other hand, will clearly be something of a challenge.
The International Olympics Committee is certainly not unaware of this potentially troubling aspect of the upcoming games, and has been attempting to positively reinforce the readiness of the participating athletes and ensuring them that they will by no means be competing invisibly. They have sent out reminders that thousands of hours covering all events will be broadcast live to billions of viewers throughout the world, and that performance excellence and exemplary achievements will by no means be lessened during this year’s games.
Digital and social media capabilities, too, are playing significant roles in compensating for the absence of on-site spectators. Alibaba Cloud and Intel are providing the necessary resources for the “Share the Passion” project, through which videos and messages of support can be submitted through different social media channels. The Games’ organizers will then select a number of messages to be screened at various venues.
In addition, participants of an online “cheer map” and “fan video wall” will have the ability to support their countries as well as upload selfie videos for selection and screening. Every effort, therefore, is being taken to ensure that the athletes braving the risk of the coronavirus in Tokyo will have the necessary confidence when their turn to compete arrives and will in no way feel abandoned,
That a huge asterisk will be included in the materials documenting this year’s Olympic Games is a foregone conclusion, and records broken will undoubtedly be somewhat less enthusiastically received if not second guessed. No matter, really. Getting to the Olympics in and of itself is no small achievement, pandemic or no pandemic.
And as for Israel’s 90 or so participants, well, it would of course be nice if they managed to bring home a medal or two, but the important thing is that they do their best and remain safe and healthy, and come home ready to prepare for the Paris Olympics of 2024.
The writer is a retired technical communicator currently assisting nonprofit organizations in the preparation of grant submissions and struggling to master the ins and outs of social media.