Sigi's tips: Sushi and sashimi against the Olympic longing

Sigi Heinrich has been a sports reporter and TV commentator for decades.

I would actually have been in Tokyo for a few days now and would definitely have tasted some sushi and sashimi in a typical Japanese restaurant, just as it should be. Following the very strict rules of the local cuisine, because the raw fish in its diversity is prepared by great masters in their own ceremony.

As always, if you don't see yourself as a tourist, but as a traveler (a big difference), it is advisable to follow the customs of the country. And best of all, let yourself be seduced by the ideas of your boss. This requires courage and unfortunately also a well-filled wallet. “Omakase” (I am in their hands). This is something like a secret code and will put a smile on the chef's face. And please never, as Europeans always do, dip the sushi into the soy sauce with the rice side down. It's an outrage. Then he would be an enemy forever. The preparation was complete Oh yes, I was prepared for the Olympics that were supposed to start this weekend. Before the big opening ceremony, I would have visited the various competition venues, as I have always done since my first broadcast as a commentator in Barcelona in 1992. And I would have let myself drift in the city, tried to feel its rhythm, to absorb its uniqueness and fascination, so that I could put it into words later. Because I would have commented on the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium this time too. For me, this is a tremendous privilege that my broadcaster Eurosport places at my feet every two years, because this big start with the march of the nations and the Olympic protocol is the ultimate challenge in my job.

You have to be deeply anchored in Olympic history, know a lot about all the participating nations, their stars, as well as the history and sporting successes within the five rings. I work for this all year round, putting together bon mots and anything that could be important in any way. I write it down the old-fashioned way on index cards and then when the respective nation is announced by the stadium announcer, I take a quick look at the card, true to the motto: knowledge is work. The anticipation remains Now the cards are stored in the box that I have used for more than 30 years. They are currently not being used. The games have been postponed for exactly one year. After the opening ceremony, I would have accompanied the artistic gymnastics competitions (together with Fabian Hambüchen, the Olympic champion on the horizontal bar in Rio) and would have gone to the track and field athletes in the second week. The end of the games would also have been a wonderful work effort with the closing ceremony. I feel a little like most athletes now. Although we have all known for months that there will be no games this year, a certain emptiness sets in.

After all, you never know what will happen in a year. It will be clear that the 2021 Olympic Games will take place in a completely different form than usual. We will experience a new modesty and restraint. That's probably already clear. And no one knows whether it will even work next year. At the moment, Tokyo fears the next Corona wave, but wants to refrain from taking rigorous measures. Seen from this point of view, the early postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games was a wise decision, especially since stricter entry conditions would have been a major handicap. Basically, from a health perspective, I can be happy that the anticipation will be extended to another year. Tokyo in miniature I won't spend these days completely without Tokyo. I browse through the 1964 Olympics book and get a large portion of sushi and sashimi in the hope that “umami” will kick in. This is the Japanese taste that cannot be described. But I'm afraid it will only reveal itself in Japan itself. Then in a year. Hopefully.

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Sigi's tips: Sushi and sashimi against the Olympic longing

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