‘At what cost?’: Readers debate wisdom of holding an Olympics in a pandemic

With the Tokyo Olympics upon us after many setbacks in a global pandemic, focus has shifted to the sporting competition. In his article, ‘Sweet 16: Australia tipped for biggest Olympic gold medal haul since 2004’, Chip Le Grand reported that one prediction has Australia winning 16 gold and 40 medals overall. It prompted debate among readers about Australia’s medal prospects, but also revealed varying levels of enthusiasm for these Games.

Some readers were looking forward to the start of the Games, while others were questioning why they were still going ahead.Credit: Getty

jencheong88: “Let’s not count our chickens before they hatch. Remember London 2012? Let’s just be quietly and humbly confident.”

abthomp: “We have the same article just prior to every Olympics and then ... they choke.”

Just the facts, Ma’am: “I’m actually tipped for a top-5 finish in the most-coffees-before-9am event (Middleweight Division, Greco-Roman style).”

Harold64: “These targets put excess pressure on our competitors and jinx our results. The AOC was right to remove the targets. Now can we please stop talking about them.”

Smokeybellevue: “They will be shallow victories (no pun intended), as competition will be limited and no one cares.”

Demosthenes: “At what cost? How many athletes are going to catch the virus?”

Bazza54: “Every day I am thinking ‘why the hell are we having these Olympics?’ It is so incongruous to what’s happening in our lives.”

George: “First time the Olympics have been held in a country which would really rather they weren’t going ahead. Maybe these should be called the Seagull Games. Why is this happening? Probably because the IOC has already spent the money from selling the broadcasting rights and so can’t afford to refund it if the Games are cancelled. The athletes are merely content for the broadcasters.”

Helen: “Maybe it’s just me, but talking about the ‘medal haul’ at this Olympics feels almost obscene, in the context of the global pandemic and opposition in Japan to hosting the games. I know that sport often takes our minds off the woes of the day. But the health risk of bringing all those people from all around the world to Japan, while their hospital system is almost overburdened with COVID, is potentially disastrous.”

Mike: “We are in a pandemic. This is offensive. We can’t travel. Only the rich, pollies and the elite can travel. Totally self-indulgent exercise for money. Won’t watch a minute of it.”

The Lad: “No one is forcing you. I’ll be watching the swimming, athletics, cycling, hockey and football with maybe a bit of rowing, kayaking and canoeing.”

trevorowl: “Some favourites won’t win gold and others will surprise. Happens every Olympics. But this time there is the COVID factor as well. How many competitors will not perform at their best because they have had to self-isolate? How many potential medallists aren’t even in Tokyo? It would be nice for once if medal tables were discarded. Let’s hope no one (from any country) gets seriously ill. Good luck to all competitors from all countries.”

BD: “So much negativity in these comments! I’m in awe of Japan and the extraordinary effort to even host these Games! For the world to be able to come together and provide hope through displays of what humans can achieve is amazing. The best of luck to all the athletes and especially those representing Australia.”

Cold drip: “Can’t wait for the Olympics ... to start, a bit of excitement is so much needed to take the painful boredom out of lockdown. Our team will do its best - some will achieve, some will underachieve and some will overachieve and as in every Olympics and we will cheer them on regardless. Go Aussies! Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!”

Katie Hopkins is shown the door

Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia this week after she boasted about flouting COVID-19 controls while in hotel quarantine and the federal government cancelled her visa. The controversy had many readers questioning why Hopkins, who was in Australia for an upcoming series of Channel Seven’s Big Brother, was allowed entry in the first place.

Katie Hopkins mocks the hotel quarantine safety rules upon her arrival in Australia.Credit: Instagram

Scott G: “Good riddance to yet another arrogant self-centred ‘celebrity’ who shouldn’t have been granted a quarantine place ahead of a returning Aussie anyway.”

kafem: “Why are these celebrities even allowed to jump the queue and enter? $$$$$$ - that’s why! Double standards from our government when they should be supporting AUSTRALIANS!”

Pedrolicious: “Let’s hope she gets a lifetime ban on ever returning.”

Sapiens: “So, Ms Hopkins is being deported because of her non-observance of health orders? Fair enough. But given her record as an extreme right polemicist, calling people ‘cockroaches’ and calling for ‘final solutions’ [just google it for links], why was she given a visa? Do they not keep a list of undesirables?”

ted28: “Channel 7 thought Katie Hopkins’ far-right views against migrants and multiculturalism should be on prime-time national TV several nights a week! And the federal government thought that would benefit the economy! What on earth is going on here?”

patrick: “Tacky tacky tacky Channel Seven, how low can you go?”

Globulus Rift: “The sad thing is that there’s plenty of Australians who would share her bigoted views. Otherwise Channel 7 would never have tried to get her on their show in the first place.”

Lester: “At the end of the day someone approved this. Whoever that person is, and their boss, and their boss etc should be held accountable. But you can bet London to a brick that will not happen.”

DaveB: “Another warped set of priorities from the Border Farce.”

JanRL: “Should never have been allowed in the first place. Poor judgment on the part of the NSW govt.”

MM55: “Unfortunate she being a D grade celebrity, the deportation publicity is priceless for her. Already made the BBC news.”

GrowingTadpole: “Is this who they called Celebrity? No wonder I never watch those rubbish reality shows.”

Bazza Beeza: “I like Katie Hopkins; however, I don’t always agree that everything she says is wise. Katie can polarise people, that’s for sure. If we can’t laugh at ourselves, then how sad for the country. I doubt if Katie was doing what she said she was doing as there is no corroborating evidence (where are the photos), but she was taking the mickey out of the whole situation. Everyone is under a lot of pressure due to the changes underway and may say and do things at this time that seem more irrational than they usually would.”

sunny: “I understand the anger, but have we lost our sense of humour? Looking at the footage I recognise this was meant to be funny. I didn’t for a minute think she would do the things she was joking about. I know the authorities are worried she’ll unsettle people and encourage us to break the rules, but we’re all adults - we understand she’s a comedian.”

greg: “Got to feel sorry for the Brits - they were expecting to be rid of her for a few months. At least the story has a happy ending for us.”

Hamish Macdonald leaves the ABC

Just 18 months after hosting his first Q+A , Hamish Macdonald is leaving the ABC, the public broadcaster announced this week. Readers had mixed reviews of Macdonald as a presenter, but with the program this year moving from its long-standing Monday evening timeslot to Thursday nights and seeing a drop in ratings, they also debated if Q+A had lost its appeal.

Q+A host Hamish Macdonald is leaving the ABC, the public broadcaster announced this week.Credit: ABC TV

Glenn Newton: “Hamish is the best political interviewer in Australia. He did a good job rounding up the cats on Q+A but was wasted in its limiting format. ”

Bill: “Hamish is a Mr Nice Guy. Not a qualification to host an investigative show that is supposed to challenge and test guests opinions. But please ABC, spare us from more Speersy.”

Toonie Girl: “I had no problems with Hamish on Q+A and liked his respectful manner. I have turned off lately as I am tired of the subjects being discussed. There is more going on in our country and the world but we get stuck in a rut over COVID, even though it is essential we receive info on the virus. However I think Q+A has a wider role to talk about many other issues.”

NotHappyDan: “I stopped watching when they started having guest presenters during Tony Jones’ time. It seems to be less of an operation to get to the truth and more of a left wing woke propaganda show now. I went to see it being filmed a couple of times being an avid fan but now I actively avoid it.”

PRGuy17: “Can we please now just admit that the ABC charter isn’t being followed and make the ABC a ‘user pays model’? Then the left can get the echo chamber they so desire but the poor taxpayer isn't funding it...”

Stonewall: “Rubbish. A good program concept that is fair to all. Hamish, just didn’t quite measure up, and it has to be noted that many who should appear are too scared to come out from their screen of spin, which meant Q+A has been less appealing to watch.”

Allen: “Q+A’s problem is too many politicians talking political-speak. It would be much better with genuine opinions and genuine debate. That’s not Hamish’s fault. Scrap the whole show.”

Sheila Martin: “I stopped watching with Macdonald. His pro Liberal bias was pretty obvious but he was also a real powderpuff.”

Decaf: “Really? I must have been watching a different program.”

felicityg: “I think Hamish did a great job and was excellent on Radio National, really perceptive interviewer. You see from the comments here that no one is happy - “he was too Left”, then “he was too Right”, depending on where the writer comes from. I feel he was on the whole very balanced and I will miss him as I don’t watch any commercial station.”

PhilB: “It was a tough ask, in a time when there was only one story (COVID) and little disagreement ... but the fault lies partly with Hamish (who left his considerable journalistic skills in the green room and tried way too hard to be liked), but mostly with ABC management for bowing to pressure from a thin-skinned government set on destroying one of the ABC’s best properties.”

Goleft: “Of course ratings were going to dip. Q+A was on Monday nights for a thousand years! Add to that a change in long-standing host - Hamish had no chance. No one would. So was Hamish pushed? Did he panic? Pity. Nice enough young man. Would have succeeded in time.”

Just: “Hamish was and is excellent. He was a breath of fresh air. THURSDAY killed that program. Everybody knows that.”

Immanuel Can: “It was always Monday conference. Move it back already.”

Trish: “The new time slot was the killer for me. I kept forgetting to tune in on Thursdays. I hope ABC go back to Monday night.”

blue velvet: “I’d give Juanita Phillips a go or one of the journos doing news - Ashleigh Raper? Time to put a woman at the helm.”

spiz: “Virginia [Trioli] would be terrific.”

Willy Wonka: “The show has well and truly run its race. Nothing lasts forever. What is next ABC?”

Online readers of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age made 64,344 comments on 551 stories in the past week.