Coronavirus Threatens The Paralympics And Olympics
A Wrench For Tokyo 2020
With the entire world being threatened with the pandemic, Coronavirus has especially damaged the adaptive community. Not only is the adaptive community most at risk (elderly, immunodeficient, those in need of home health care), everything needed to live a more normal life is now even further from reach. Necessary medical supplies required for daily operations are now being hoarded leaving those who needed it before in a life threatening situation.
How Will This Affect The Paralympics And Olympics?
Events around the world have been canceled to help prevent the spread of the virus and that is a necessity at this time. Unfortunately, this means major qualifying events for the Paralympics and Olympics are being postponed or canceled entirely until further notice. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, stated at a news conference “We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem, as planned.” The 2020 Summer Olympics are set to begin on July, 24th but now there is a possibility that it may be pushed to 2022. May will be when a final decision will have to be made.
The IPC has made it a priority to make weekly updates for the athletes and all involved. Click here to read on what this means for athletes, classifications, qualifications and more.
Also read this communique released by the IOC today here.
What Those Invested Have To Say
Many Paralympians and Paralympic hopefuls are feeling at a loss as the uncertainty spreads. Major qualifying events like the Angel City Games had to be cancelled due to the uncertainty behind COVID-19. Founder and CEO of Angel City Sports, Clayton Frech, said “Last week we made the difficult decision to suspend all Angel City Sports programming through June, including the much anticipated 2020 Angel City Games presented by The Hartford. It breaks my heart to make this decision. I know how meaningful the Games are to the our athletes. This year we were expecting over 600 athletes from around the world to join us. This decision also impacts the 30-40 Paralympians who come to coach, mentor, and support the kids and newer athletes. Paralympians make tremendous sacrifices in time, income, and even family if they live at the training center. And I know how important it is for them to attend events like the Games and to meet and inspire the younger generation coming up behind them. But if we all change our lifestyles immediately, shutting down travel, events, and all social interaction, maybe we can minimize the impact of the virus.” He also made it a very important note that “While the Angel City Games are not happening in June, our team is already planning a virtual Games experience. I encourage athletes in our community to watch out for new initiatives and programs, including how we will pivot the Games.”
Coaches Perspective
The athletes and the Paralympics as a whole would be nothing without the support and backbone from the coaching staff. Below are the opinions of Paralympic coaches who were asked how they felt about the event possibly being postponed or cancelled.
Coach Rick Babington
Coach Rick Babington has been a part of the Paralympic movement since 2005 and currently coaches on the National Team for US Para-Cycling. Rick states “The possibility of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games being canceled is not something that I care to dwell on. I prefer instead to keep moving forward with the preparations, and keep a positive mindset. If the Games are canceled or rescheduled, it will be in the best interest of the health and safety of all involved. Fingers crossed this does not happen.”
Coach Mike Durner
Coach Mike Durner is currently a coach for the National team for US Para-Cycling. Mike has been a part of the Paralympic movement for 10 years and says “Even if it were canceled or postponed, most of our athletes would continue to train because at some point their will be another race. I'm continuing to write schedules for my athletes as if they're going to the Games. For several years my athletes and I have been preparing for this. Every opportunity to race for the athletes, is an opportunity to make money. Same goes for coaches working races. It's a big deal that influences a lot of people.”
Athlete Perspectives
We took to the athletes who have been training for this event for years and asked them one simple question. "How would you feel if the 2020 Paralympics were cancelled or postponed?” One thing is for sure across the board, these athletes will continue to train for their countries, they are for the well-being of the whole world, and they will not stop working to be the best in the world at what they do. Below are the opinions of each athlete respectively and do not to represent anyone other than themselves. Please follow and support their journeys as now they need it more than ever. You can follow each individually and also follow the Paralympic movement here.
Femita Ayanbeku
Femita Ayanbeku is currently the fastest female amputee 100m runner in the United States. She represented Team USA in Rio in 2016. “I think it would be very disappointing to all of the athletes and people that have worked so hard to organize and put these Games together. However, the health and safety of everyone comes first, so if these drastic measures must continue in order to keep everyone as safe as possible, then I would agree with whatever decisions need to be made,” she says.
Darlene Hunter
As part of a team, Darlene understands how important it is to work together. She has been a champion with Team USA for years and feels “At this moment, we are all trusting the process and that we will be participating in Tokyo in 2020. We are still training and keeping mentally focused. Right now my job is to continue to train. The International Paralympic Committee is sending weekly updates and really doing a great job of keeping us abreast of what is happening. It would be a shame if it is cancelled, but the safety is always everyone’s primary concern.” - Darlene Hunter
Cody Jones
Cody is a para-track and field (javelin) F38 athlete who competed in Rio 2016 (Bronze medal) Lima 2019 Para-pan Ams American record holder. He says “As an athlete we are taught to focus on what we can control. So we continue to train. The general stress of the virus and the cancellation of different events right now makes it difficult, but this is also a time to give the world some hope, some normalcy, and to live out what it means to be an Olympian and Paralympian.”
Nathan Riech
2019 World Champion Nathan Riech says “Personally, I don’t see Tokyo getting cancelled. In my opinion, I think the most ideal action will be to postpone the games by a couple months. At the end of the day, this pandemic is so much greater than sport, this is a global health problem, which should be our #1 concern. Don’t get me wrong, to win the Paralympics was a childhood dream of mine and I certainly hope I will still get that opportunity.”
Matt Pevoto
Matt Pevoto is a T54 wheelchair racer who has been working hard to join Team USA. He says “Its definitely sad because all of us have been working towards this one moment but at the end of the day it's best to keep everyone's health the top priority. We will be ready for the Paralympic Games whenever it comes.”
David Prince
David has been competing since 2005 in track and field, swimming, and triathlon. Since 2009 he has been on Team USA for para-track in the T44/T46 category. This two time Paralympian and 3 time world record holder says “I don’t think it will be [cancelled]. I think everyone is overreacting and making a bigger thing than it is.”
Josh Cinnamo
World record holder in the F46 category, Josh Cinnamo says “ It won’t be cancelled. I may be postponed for two years. My feeling is, I’m prepared to take the risk as an athlete. I’m preparing as usual and will continue to do so as I have been preparing for two years. That being said, I recognize there is a segment of the global population that is much more susceptible to severe health problems and death with this virus than the healthy athletes competing. I’m willing to wait a year or two, it it means we slow the spread and save lives.
Ryen Reed
With five years into the paralympic movement, Ryen says “It’s scary and stressful thinking about the possibility of it being canceled, after training all of these years and putting my whole life into hopefully competing in the Paralympics. I also think at this point I don’t know how they’d still be able to continue with the Games after canceling a lot of the races that are huge parts of determining the teams. No matter what, the health of everyone in this world is what matters. We all need to continue training and we’ll be stronger wherever this all leads us.” Ryen Reed,
Paracycling-Women’s H4. 2019 Women’s Paracycling Handcycling National Champion.
Brandon Lyons
Team USA’s Brandon, a MH3 category athlete, says “It’s a very strange time now for athletes and people all over the world. Many restrictions have been put in place which are affecting people’s livelihood, travel, food supply, etc. As an athlete, numerous events have been cancelled or postponed and as of this weekend qualification spots have been put on hold indefinitely. With so much fluidity, it’s been difficult to know what’s next and when/if the Olympics and Paralympics will take place. I’m focusing on what I can control, and my focus has not changed. I’m continuing to train as scheduled and moving forward as if the games will go on as planned. This is not the way I envisioned my first selection event and games experience to be, but this is out of our control. I am in full support of what the USOPC and IPC decide as they continue to put the athlete’s health in the best interest.”
Jason Macom
When asked how he felt if the Paralympics were to be cancelled or postponed, Jason said “It would be devastating. I’ve moved away from my family for two years, invested every cent to my name, and am working so hard to have a shot at a medal. There are things in life that are for sure more important and I’m sure that a postponement or cancellation would be decided to prevent such devastation. Hopefully it won’t come to that, but we will have to accept the decision and move forward.”
Robert Ferguson
Robert has been paving the way for Amputee soccer in Texas for years and has been working to get it as a Paralympic sport. He says “I believe that with the lack of information and so much false information that to err on the side of caution is the best thing to do. The health of all is what is most important. Hopefully everything will be brought to a controllable level and the games will be able to continue.”
Becky Piper
Becky Piper trains in Colorado as she chases after Team USA in para-cycling. “Its too early to tell really. I'm definitely concerned but not worried at this point. Of course, if it does get cancelled, I'll be devastated, but I'm more concerned about the wellness of the athletes competing. One thing I do know...if Tokyo 2020 gets cancelled, training for Paris 2024 is going to come with a vengeance.”
Kira Stevens
Kira is a junior para-athlete who aspires to be a Paralympian. She holds several records in various events. “I feel to ensure the safety for everyone, the Paralympics should be cancelled or postponed. Although, the Paralympic trials have not been cancelled, all the meets that I was planning on attending have been canceled. If the trials are cancelled and there is no chance of the Paralympic Games happening, I feel like that’s an opportunity to keep training for the next four years and improving my times for the next games.”
Jeremy Ogle
Paralympic hopeful Jeremy Ogle has been racing for years. “As an athlete who is invited to the U.S. Paralympic trials, I will continue to train as I have been being that events are still scheduled to go on as planned. If the Games ultimately get cancelled due to the virus, I will still continue to train as I have because no one is talking about cancelling the 2024 Games. This virus is real and there is real damage happening because of it so I fully support all decisions to flatten the curve. I’ll place lives above medals any day of the week/ After all, we’re all adaptive athletes and when life presents you with a challenge, you adapt.”- Jeremy Ogle
Ezra Frech
Ezra is currently training for Tokyo and continues to do so in hopes that the Games will take place. “It’s been my dream since I was 7 years old to compete in the Paralympics... and after making Team USA and going to the world championships last year, it is a real possibility this year. I have a great team working to improve my training, nutrition, rest, and recovery process. If the Paralympics are cancelled or postponed, I trust it will be the right decision for the safety of athletes and the world. But I am already beyond sad by the thought and remain hopeful that postponement is a realistic option.”
Francisco Postlethwaite Muñoz
Francisco has been training for Paralympics since 2009, first in swimming then in paratriathlon national and internationally. “Because of circumstances out of my hands I haven't had the opportunity to fight for a spot. Now with this going on, I believe more than ever that everything happens for a reason. I also believe that my patience is my greatest virtue and has made me feel more conscious about how I'm working.”
Nik Miller
Since 2013, Nik Miller has been repping the USA National team for Paracanoe as a KL3 athlete. The National record holder has been undefeated since 2013 in US paracanoe races. Nik says on average the sport costs him 15-22k yearly in direct race expenses and 35-40 hours per week in training. “Sport has always brought the world together in unity for the betterment of mankind, prematurely canceling will lead not only to the bankruptcy of sport, but hearts and souls of those who have sacrificed for much longer even than the recent quadrennial leading up to Tokyo 2020.”-Nik Miller
Dani Aravich
Paralympic hopeful Dani Aravich says that not only did she quit her full time job, but she now works multiple part-time jobs so that she can pay bills while she trains. All of her Spring track races have already been cancelled or postponed. Her coaches now struggle to rewrite her training plans with nothing to train for and the money and time invested could go to waste.
Mark Barr
Mark Barr is a multi-Paralympian and feels “It would be heartbreaking for the athletes if the games needed to be postponed or even worse, canceled. Athletes sacrifice many years of their lives for the opportunity to represent their country on the greatest stage at the Olympics and Paralympics so to have that opportunity taken from them would be very sad and I hope can be avoided somehow.”
This article is written by CEO and Founder of Be More Adaptive, Caitlin Conner. Please direct any inquiries to bemoreadaptive@gmail.com
Cover photo is of Caitlin Conner which was shot by photographer Yoshinobu Tsuji with Philote Factory. The photo was part of a series to promote the Paralympics and Olympics in Tokyo airports.
