From empty stands to shortened seasons, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every professional and amateur sport at least once.
Athletes participating in the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing are facing a different set of challenges and, in many cases, much steeper hurdles, says Matt Robinson, professor of Sport Management at the University of Delaware.
COVID testing and quarantines are disrupting a cycle that began with years of training and is supposed to peak when they check in for their event.
"The sports psychologist is the most important person in the Olympic village," Robinson said. "For these athletes, the window of being the best in the world is a small time frame. They aren't rich. They started their careers in pursuit of this. They have made sacrifices that can’t be sustained.
"If an athlete doesn't get to compete, it can be devastating."
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