The Olympics this yr to date has been stuffed with upsets, some controversy and a complete lot of nice badminton! Under are two Tokyo Olympics Controversies that I take into consideration. I’ll comply with this up with a round-up of badminton within the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as soon as we all know the medalists. So keep tuned for that! My Predictions for badminton in my earlier posts have all gone downhill because of sudden upsets, so I gained’t predict any extra outcomes!!
Tokyo Olympics Controversies
Entry To Video games
I’m going to label this as controversial as a British particular person as a result of BBC has historically held the rights to the Olympic Video games. They did an excellent job at making certain we had entry to all of the occasions and offering commentary for the matches we wished to observe. I’m unsure the way it works in different international locations however we had been fortunate sufficient to get pleasure from full protection of the video games. And anybody from overseas might use a VPN and entry BBC Iplayer for themselves. Principally, it was globally accessible.
Solely this yr, BBC doesn’t have the rights. Discovery+ does. Now my challenge right here is that we’re nonetheless dealing with a world wrestle to struggle off the coronavirus – or no less than reside with it. The Olympics was a time to deliver us all collectively in Sport and create unity between international locations. We would have liked this now greater than ever, and even the phrase “Collectively” was included within the Olympics motto this yr, reflecting this sentiment.
Pay To Watch
So for Discovery+ to place the Olympics mainly behind a paywall appears not solely disingenuous but additionally hypocritical of the Olympic Committee. The Olympics occurs as soon as each 4 years. It brings neighborhood spirit, by residence delight, and bringing international locations collectively. I imagine the Olympics ought to be accessible to all individuals. Particularly this yr’s version of the video games.
On the finish of the day, we all know why the rights had been granted to Discovery+. Cash. However I’m not asking one thing for nothing. We British, we pay a TV license payment which fits to BBC content material & companies. Absolutely they need to have fought tougher for the Olympics video games. I’m actually disenchanted with the general protection. I feel many who paid the subscription payment have additionally been disenchanted in reside streams. They’ve suffered as a result of technical errors and lack of commentary on among the occasions they did need to watch.
From a badminton perspective, I might solely watch Badminton initially if group GB had been enjoying. And discovering that in itself was tough because the sports activities weren’t all the time separated clearly. Usually badminton would sit in the midst of plenty of different sports activities. Truthfully, with badminton seen as having decrease recognition within the UK – the BBC most likely can’t afford to provide the occasion the identical airtime as the opposite “greater” sports activities.
Politics
I hate it when politics comes into sport. They need to be utterly separate. No matter occurs outdoors the Olympics is their respective authorities’s challenge. However don’t push your agenda within the Olympics or some other sporting occasion for that matter. Authorities’s at most ought to present full help for the athletes that signify their nation.
So when Ng Ka Lengthy took to the court docket carrying black in his group stage match, he most likely didn’t suppose something of it. The actual fact is, he’s enjoying an Olympics Video games, didn’t have a sponsor, so he wore what he felt snug in. I feel anybody would have accomplished the identical. Some individuals had been curious when he took to the court docket in a plain black T-Shirt. Comprehensible as badminton gamers are often in some over-designed, vibrant and branded clothes. And he even defined he simply wished to put on one thing snug. And didn’t have time to give attention to the aesthetics of the outfit. The IOC additionally confirmed his outfit met the necessities.
However idiots on the web and maybe a good greater fool Nicholas Muk (instructor/politician), had been outraged that he would put on black with out the Hong Kong Image. This was the color adopted by the 2019 protesters and due to this fact has political affiliations with pro-democracy actions in Hong Kong. So what was initially an harmless outfit selection, attracted criticism from the aforementioned idiots who claimed that he didn’t need to signify Hong Kong.
Now to cowl my very own again, I’m unsure that the black had something to do with the feedback particularly. However Nicholas Muk is effectively often known as Professional-Beijing. He additionally included a hashtag that learn: “Sporting a black shirt and black pants to compete is laughable.” So make of it what you’ll. But when he’s attempting to push a political agenda to suck as much as the powers of Beijing, it’s drastically backfired.
In Assist Of Ng Ka Lengthy
To start with, if you wish to criticise your individual athlete simply because they didn’t have time to rearrange their very own clothes as a result of pressures and time constraints of competing, you’re even much less consultant and supportive of Hong Kong than you declare Ng Ka Lengthy to be.
Ng Ka Lengthy is at the moment with out sponsorship and doing the very best he can within the circumstances. He shares a message on Instagram beneath, thanking individuals for his or her help and saying he might be again, however it should take a while.
Secondly, sure Ng Ka Lengthy is proud to signify Hong Kong. He has by no means publically denounced Hong Kong and represents all of them yr spherical at tournaments. Simply because the symbol is lacking from his jersey doesn’t imply he was actively rejecting the concept of representing his nation. Don’t leap to conclusions simply since you’re offended. If individuals are curious, simply ask however don’t assume!
Lastly, as a lot as these athletes love representing their nation, keep in mind they’re additionally people with their very own desires. A gold medal for Ng Ka Lengthy is as a lot a gold medal for himself in addition to his nation. And for individuals comparable to web lowlifes and Nicholas Mak to publically out him as some form of villain not solely places further strain on him as an athlete however impacts his psychological sport and creates pointless stress. How will you declare to be supportive of your athletes whereas hampering their efficiency? Their particular person targets are to the advantage of their nation.
Backfired
Fortunately, many common sense individuals spoke up towards the likes of Nicholas Mak. A lot in order that he was compelled to close down his Fb account. Though one article says that he subsequently apologised, that is what they quoted:
“I used to be supporting the Hong Kong Badminton group in entrance of my tv that day, and to my shock, I noticed Mr Ng, totally different from different Hong Kong athletes, wore a jersey with out the SAR emblem, which is shocking. It’s a very uncommon event to see the Hong Kong group competing on the Olympic stage, and present the world our Lion Rock Spirit, due to this fact I used to be too emotional and did not weigh my phrases.”
I didn’t see the phrase sorry or something remotely much like an apology. And particularly didn’t point out Ng Ka Lengthy personally. Ng Ka Lengthy needs to place this saga behind him. He claims that the explanation he misplaced was as a result of his personal efficiency and never the problems surrounding his jersey. It could be simple to see for any athlete or any person who the extra fear of this pointless controversy would have affected his sport.
Sadly, his loss to Kevin Cordon means his Olympics is over. On paper, Ng Ka Lengthy was the higher participant. However let’s not take something away from Kevin, what a improbable achievement for him. However I can’t assist however suppose, “what if?”
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