COVID-19 has affected the world tremendously since the start of this horrific epidemic, but the extent that it has impacted the realm of sports is truly unimaginable. I remember watching some of the legendary athletes such as Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Simone Biles, but now many of us will not get to see those stories and legends unfold. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and the International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, agreed on March 24 to postpone the Summer Olympics until 2021. The date when the Olympics will start is not yet declared, but Prime Minister Abe does not want the games to go past the Summer of 2021 according to Aishwarya Kumar of ESPN.

The Olympics are one of the most popular events that are held every four years. The world-renowned competition involves over 200 of the world’s countries and is a great outlet for countries to set aside their differences and enact friendly competitions.

With the COVID-19 epidemic postponing this worldly event, the world of sports will be lost. As most of the sports have stopped their play, one of the biggest sports events will not be able to be seen by viewers around the world. The Olympics have not been canceled or postponed since the outbreaks of World War I in 1916 and World War II in 1940. Fans of the games will not be able to watch their countries thrive, and will have to wait until the epidemic dies down and the games start.

The athletes suffer some of the biggest consequences of the postponement. They will not be able to practice with the rules of social distancing, lockdowns, and other rules. Some athletes like diver, Tom Daley, said that athletes would feel the effects of being another year older and it would take a toll on their Olympic shape. Also, some of the athletes may have had their last or only chance to compete in this year’s games. Older and barely qualified athletes might suffer from the wait.

Though other sports leagues around the country have suffered the news of the cancellation or postponement, the news feels different. Viewers and athletes have to wait every four years for the events, and with the world’s current status, we will have to wait and see what happens in the upcoming months.