A panel of scientists, journalists, rowing athletes and commentators met in Tokyo this week to finalize the schedule for Bitching about Rowing at the 2020 Olympics, which is scheduled to commence later this summer.
"Most people don't realize that Bitching About The Olympics follows a tightly-controlled format, and requires careful planning in order to maximize media effectiveness," said Bob Boodard, an Expert. "It requires consultation with scientists for grounding, and then you have to deploy your athletes and commentators carefully so that your Bitching registers across the media spectrum."
As with all Olympics, the Tokyo 2020 Games present their own unique challenges to Bitching. "With Tokyo, you had FISA's changes to the Olympic events, the gender equity discussion, the possibility of the venue switching, as well as the legacy of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and tidal wave," said Carl Wernstein, also an Expert. "We took care of the rowing venue controversy fairly early on in this Bitching cycle, and we're looking forward to moving on to the Bitching about rowing's proximity to the main Olympic Village and transportation concerns shortly," continued Wernstein. "We'll be working off either the Barcelona or Atlanta Bitching blueprint for that."
Though the discussions had been ongoing, many Experts were surprised at the new opportunities for Bitching afforded by FISA's changes to the Olympic rowing programme. "It's a bit of a Bitching goldmine, which we did not anticipate," said Boodard. "You've got to deal with the disappearing lightweight events, the relatively hard-to-handicap addition of the Women's Four, and the possibility that you'll have see women coxing men's crews this time around, or vice versa," he continued. "Lots of opportunity there."
As per usual, the Bitching about the rowing venue's water, wind conditions and lane fairness will happen later in the cycle. "Usually, we'll wait until someone sinks or gets sick at the Junior Worlds the year before the Olympics before we embark on the Final Round of Bitching," said Wernstein. "We're hoping to have some bloggers get out to Tokyo earlier, hopefully by 2018, so that we can lengthen out the "course and fairness" Bitching for an extra year."
Even with the current difficulties with finalzing the host nations for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics, Boodard and Wernstein remain optimistic. "We can pretty much whip up a good-sized Bitchfest anywhere," Boodard said. "No matter what the country or venue is, we can typically come up with some good Bitching in short order."