Bach of the net

IOC’S DECISION TO GO ON IS VINDICATED

THOMAS BACH doesn’t need an excuse to look smug, but he has one anyway.

Just a few months ago the majority of people on the planet didn’t want the Olympic Games to take place, for obvious reasons.

In light of the pandemic, asking athletes to travel to Tokyo from all corners of the globe felt wrong.

There would be more cases, no supporters and competitors had to somehow produce peak performances at the biggest event of their careers, despite spending almost 18 months having to train in isolation due to lockdown measures.

The morality of the occasion was called into question – and even the residents of Tokyo themselves didn’t want their home invaded by strangers, increasing the risk of making the pandemic worse.