Member-only story
Why The Media’s Stalking of Simone Biles Exposes Salaciousness
Days before the typically extravagant opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the much-heralded global event of the year, I decided to express concrete reasons why the games should’ve been cancelled in light of another formidable competitor that kept threatening the impossible feat of pushing through a raging pandemic.
The organizing committee never ruled out the likelihood of canceling the sprawling schedule of competitions and accompanying fanfare to accommodate a grim reality. They had to be on standby out of respect for discouraging data of rising new cases in the area, and the sequestered competitors who were still getting infected with COVID-19, despite best efforts to reduce that risk.
It must’ve been a living hell to be a privileged participant in a life-altering celebration of the world’s best and strongest, feted on the largest stage, after training arduously for years and selflessly weathering cruel separations from loved ones, to have to endure the extra blows of dodging the menace of a deadly virus, while maintaining eyes on the golden prize.
Even in the best case scenario, back when the subject of a global pandemic was reserved for sci-fi thrillers with an A-list roster, and not the centers of excellence also known as the Olympic Village, situated in the middle of…
