Derval O'Rourke: 'Fluff' about fans won't affect Olympians

To the athletes, all that matters is performance, says Derval O'Rourke

Former Olympian Derval O'Rourke pictured at the official announcement of Allianz' eight-year worldwide partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, building on a collaboration with the Paralympic movement since 2006. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

She’s been there, done that and as a result Derval O’Rourke knows the last thing on athletes’ minds is what kind of experience they’ll have at the Tokyo Olympic Games. To them, all that matters is performance.

The Games organisers released a playbook yesterday detailing the strict measures that will allow this year’s event to take place, with singing and chanting discouraged among fans and post-event parties and sexual encounters among athletes strictly outlawed. It’s still unclear whether fans will be permitted, but O’Rourke believes such concerns will be far from competitors’ minds.