There’s nothing quite like a live sporting competition for creating a sense of occasion: The tension in the crowds, the dreams of athletes coming true; the hopes of a nation in the balance. From my own experience, even a blind man listening to commentary can get pulled in by the excitement of fans as the competition reaches a climax.
But without the screams of a capacity crowd willing their heroes on, can the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics still make for a special occasion? I fear that, for a blind person listening to the commentary without the atmosphere of a crowd, the drama may be rather muted. Imagine a description of a 100-meter sprint, stripped back to the bare essentials: “The athletes crouch down. Bang! They’re running, they’re running. And the Jamaican has won! Now, here’s a word from our sponsor.”
Winning will still be special for the athletes who have been training for five years now in preparation for this Olympics. Even without the usual influx of foreign spectators, there will undoubtedly be plucky underdogs and fierce contests that manage to excite a worldwide audience.