Federer breaks silence regarding Tokyo Olympics situation

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

Living legend tennis superstar Roger Federer finally decided to speak up regarding the uncertainties of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

With the recent surge in the COVID-19 cases in Japan, Federer said that it would be understandable if Olympics organizers call it off for the second time.

The Olympics was re-scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8 but Japan’s state of emergency was extended until the end of May in Tokyo and three other areas.

“I would love to play in the Olympics, win a medal for Switzerland. It would make me especially proud. But if it doesn’t happen because of the situation, I would be the first to understand,” Federer said.

Last Friday, a petition calling for the Tokyo Olympics’ cancellation had an enormous 350,000 signatures collected in just nine days.

Questions then began to float if it would be worth it for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo organizers to push through with the event.

For the Swiss Maestro, the only question that the organizers need to answer is: “Is it going to happen or is it not going to happen?

“At the moment, we have the impression that it will happen. We know it’s a fluid situation. And you can also decide as an athlete if you want to go. If you feel there’s a lot of resistance, maybe it’s better not to go. I don’t know,” added Federer.