The 2020 Summer Olympics

Abstract

This article aims to present, cartographically and textually, aspects related to the Summer Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020), seen from a geographical and, to a certain extent, geopolitical perspective (see the participation of the 3 Chinas, which drew attention to economic, diplomatic and national disputes at stake). We highlight and problematize certain aspects that are subject to regional analysis and that go beyond the limits of sports and may easily go unnoticed by a large part of the public who attended the mega-event. The proposal aimed to give equal emphasis (equal weights) to the cartographic visual language and the textual analytical language. We use two basic sources of information: the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). We analyse the performance of each country (delegations) in terms of 1) the overall score obtained; 2) comparison with its previous performance (Rio 2016); 3) relationship between the number of medals and the number of athletes sent; 4) relationship between the number of medals and the total population and 5) relationship between obtaining Olympic points and the respective HDI (Human Development Index). We conclude that access to the greatest material (and immaterial) wealth in dispute, symbolized by the Olympic gold medal, is spatially distributed across the globe in concentrated (Map 1), hermetic (Map 2), competitive (Map 4), unequal (Map 5) and unfair (Map 6) ways.