Good luck and farewell program for the young girl

Good luck and farewell program for the young girl. Globally, the fate of the event is still unknown. The possible cancellation of the already postponed games would be mind-blowingly impactful for Japan which has already invested over USD12 billion. 

Such a decision would be disastrous for all involved, including participating nations and athletes. It would not only affect 11,000 Olympic and 4,400 Paralympic athletes but coaches, sports federations, broadcasters, fans, and others would be heavily impacted.

It would be no different for Ethiopia. The Olympics are perhaps the single most major global event that can uplift the spirit of the nation. When the Ethiopian national team traveled to the Barcelona Games in 1992, it was their first in 12 years after missing out owing to political reasons. 

The country is among very few countries to have boycotted three Olympic Games in 1976, 1984, and 1988 in joining protesting countries. These political decisions made top talents like Miruts Yifter and Belayneh Densamo pay dearly in their careers.

Gebregziabher Gebremariam, well remembered for his successes in world cross-country championships, understands the disappointment in missing an event as big as the Olympics. “I hope the Tokyo Olympics will not be canceled. For Ethiopian athletes, championships keep our careers alive. 

We cannot afford to miss out on these big opportunities,” he says. “Professional athletes in other countries have side businesses, sponsorship contracts, and other commercial revenue streams. Most of our athletes lack other sources of income if they do not make money from competitions. 

These athletes are already struggling because of globally canceled competitions. The economic vulnerability may also force talent out of the athletics world.”