The Tokyo “2020” Olympics are still, somehow, happening this year. They are happening despite the fact that roughly only 20 percent of the Tokyo population is fully vaccinated days before the opening ceremony; despite a COVID outbreak of more than fifty Olympics-related visitors, including in the Olympic Village itself; despite reports of sexual violence at the new stadium; despite a mountain of public relations disasters, from the creative head of the Tokyo Organising Committee stepping down for calling a woman an “Olympig”; the head of TOKYO 2020 Organising Committee, Mori (also a former prime minister), quitting after a backlash for his comments that women talk too much during meetings (who was replaced by someone with her own sexual harassment scandal); to a high-level Japanese Olympic Committee accounting executive who jumped in front of a train days after a whistleblower came forward to the composer of the games being scrutinized for his abusive behavior. After all this, we hear the International Olympic Committee (IOC) call on Japanese residents to make “sacrifices” to ensure the games continue on.

And the games continue on, despite 83 percent of Tokyo residents wanting them canceled; despite pleas for their cancellation by Japanese medical officials and nurses already dealing with the current COVID emergency and hospitals at full capacity; despite several dozen Olympic athletes and officials testing positive for COVID and the fact that many of the athletes are unvaccinated themselves. The IOC keeps going, despite even the most mainstream opposition and calls for accountability; despite the blithely racist punishment of athletes; despite its fascist overtones (and history). The IOC continues to march on and threaten any athlete who steps too far out of line during the competitions themselves, just like they always have.

No phrases can capture the colossal screw-ups happening on all levels in order to satisfy some TV and brand contracts. It’s beyond hyperbole. In defiance of the will of the entire world, the Olympics are still happening. Why? Because NBCUniversal and other Olympic partners plan on making a “record profit” on presold rights. These are the games that the IOC and Olympic boosters promised would be the most innovative, most sustainable (they’re not), “best ever prepared,” and most socially responsible in history — a line they’ll probably stick to, no matter how high their body count.