Mr. John Treacy:

It is a very good question. Athletes hate uncertainty. They are very good planners. Generally, athletes plan on a ten-month cycle. Swimmers might be a bit different but, generally, it is that type of cycle. There is a rest period and then they have their foundation period. It is all geared towards a peak on a given day. If a person is preparing in 2019 for 2020 and half way through that cycle and the Olympic Games are pulled, it leaves a big void in one's life. One is all the time thinking about this date in July or August 2020 and now that date is gone. One is lost. One then looks to the next competition but the summer is uncertain also because competitions were not happening. It is a time of great uncertainty for the athletes. They always have a focus and that focus was gone for a long period. The 8 July was a very important date because it enabled those athletes to get back to training. They could get away from training on their own and back into an environment where they were around people of a similar mindset and ilk. They could start planning again. They were around the experts, whether they be coaches, high performance directors or whoever, who provide that guidance to them in terms of getting them to focus again.

Athletes are resilient. Sanita Puspure said it very well. When the date was set for 2021, the focus went on that date straight away. That is the date all athletes are now working towards and that is what they need. They need that date. All the performance directors and coaches will be working hard to get the athlete to peak on that day. They have a focus again and that is very important. If they are back in an environment where they are with their coaches and training at a very high level for the winter months they will be fine but in terms of springtime, getting back into early competitions is vital because those competitions are very important if the athletes are to reach their peak in July. That is part of that session. It is about getting oneself in peak condition and putting oneself through the rigours of competition. There is nothing like competition to get one ready for the big day. There is a period of uncertainty but at least they have a date now. The news out of Tokyo a couple of weeks ago from the Olympic movement was very encouraging. The Japanese are keen to progress with this. It might look like a different Olympic Games but it is proceeding. The athletes need that certainty but they are resilient, and they are fantastic people to be around.

The teams are back in action. Coming into 2020, we had three teams in equestrian sport that had qualified. The women's hockey team had qualified. We had won a total of 80 medals internationally and we were going into the games in very good shape. This has been a major setback for us but we are putting our faith in the athletes. The athletes have the services, through the Sport Ireland Institute, that they require. The system is in place to support them. Everyone is available to support them but it is an uncertain time for an elite athlete who is preparing. Athletes are very conscious of their health and well-being. They are cautious people also and that extra danger in the environment is probably something that is very much on their minds and which they want to avoid at all costs so they would be very cautious in terms of their approach. The issue is more serious if it is a contact sport but if one is in an individual sport, at least one can train with people and not have that social contact. It is a time of great uncertainty for every Irish athlete who is preparing for 2021.