Canada And Australia Will Not Send Athletes To The 2020 Summer Olympics As The First Dominos Drop In Tokyo

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There’s nothing I like more than an excuse to get fiercely and blindingly patriotic every now and then, and while I have a chance to do this every time the Fourth of July rolls around by throwing on an American flag tank top and crushing some Bud Heavies, that single day of celebration has nothing on the semiannual excuse to chant “USA!” a bunch known as the Olympic Games.

Every couple of years, athletes from around the world flock to a central location to compete for their country (and have loads of sex with their fellow competitors), and while some of these gatherings have been marred by tragedy, the only time the Olympics haven’t been held since they were rebooted for modernity is when the planet has been in the middle of a World War.

This year, the globe finds itself in the midst of another battle—although this one is a bit unique as it’s against a common enemy that has resulted in people remaining sequestered inside their homes and avoiding as much human contact as possible whenever they wander outside of them.

A few weeks ago, the International Olympic Committee seemed intent on ensuring the Summer Games slated to kick off in Tokyo at the end of July would go ahead as scheduled, and as of right now, they remain virtually the only major sporting event on the calendar that hasn’t been canceled or postponed.

Given the nature of the universal foe we’re currently combating, saying it would be ill-advised to have thousands of athletes hop on planes and fly to Japan so they can live in close quarters while competing for our enjoyment would be the ultimate understatement.

As a result, I was shocked to learn that the IOC is apparently still debating what to do at this current juncture, but according to CNN, Canada and Australia have become the first countries to help make the decision a bit easier, as they’ve both announced they will not be sending representatives to Japan if the Olympics somehow go on as scheduled.

Both teams announced their decision shortly after the IOC revealed it may consider postponing the Games but stressed it will not be canceling them entirely, and while it’s unclear when a decision will be made (or when the Olympics may be replayed), it seems like a forgone conclusion that there’s no chance in hell we’re going to see the torch lit when it was supposed to.

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Connor Toole is the Deputy Editor at BroBible. He is a New England native who went to Boston College and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Frequently described as "freakishly tall," he once used his 6'10" frame to sneak in the NBA Draft and convince people he was a member of the Utah Jazz.