Dr. Bonnie Henry held out hope on Thursday for Island-based athletes preparing for the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“I don’t think this will be an issue next summer,” B.C.’s health officer said during her daily briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Henry said she has no data to back that up. But her educated hunch is better than most.
More than 60 Island or Island-based athletes are expected to compete in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. They will take any glimmer of hope they can get.
“That’s the sort of optimistic attitude you have to have as an athlete in this situation,” said Emma Entzminger of Victoria, an infielder on the Canadian women’s softball team, which has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
“If you don’t have that, it’s difficult to set yourself up for success next year. Mental training is as important as physical training through this [pandemic]. The Olympics have been pushed back. That gives us an extra year to get even better.”
But Henry reiterated that there is no chance of having fans in the stands for B.C. sports teams this summer, echoing Premier John Horgan’s comments the previous day.
“Nobody around the world is talking about having mass gatherings,” Henry said.
“Those are the types of environments where transmission of the virus takes off. We will not see those things [spectator sports and concerts] happening this summer.”
That means if the Pacific FC soccer, Victoria HarbourCats baseball and Victoria Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen lacrosse seasons begin this summer, it will be without fans watching.
That could be a non-starter for gate-driven circuits such as the Western Lacrosse Association. Horgan, a passionate supporter of the Shamrocks, might not get his lacrosse fix this summer.
It could also affect the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League in the fall.
“When we have a vaccine rapidly, and as we learn more about this virus, we will get back to that kind of contact [fans in the stands] as soon as we can,” Henry said.
