Mountain biker Lea Davison is heartbroken.
He intended to have competed in his third Olympic Games in Tokyo in the more than two weeks, but the Games have been postponed for a total year, postponed until 2021.
Instead of competing for a women’s long-distance cycling medal after completing seventh place at the 2016 Games and the eleventh at the 2012 London Games, Davison, 37, has reconsidered its purpose for another dubious educational year, where it is customary. National competitions have also been suspended and monetary resources have been exhausted due to COVID-19.
“As athletes, it would have been our time to shine, the moments we’ve been running for a lifetime,” Davison said. “Missing that puts you in a circle because it’s a big task to get to the Olympics. I went through a grieving process, but then I tried to see one more year to improve myself – and also become as soon as I can imagine, it’s positive. Because, in my opinion, I’ve already done the highest percentage of the job, so I’m not going to give up now.”
Despite how resilient and unwavering Davison and other Olympic athletes have been, the practical aspect of the disadvantages of postponing the Tokyo Games reached a monetary point where investment was barely abundant before.
Davison is based on USA Cycling, a national government framework (NGB) that serves as a separate branch of Olympic sports, to continue receiving financial support. In addition to the essentials provided through NGB, Olympic athletes will pay an average of $30,000 to $100,000 out of pocket for travel, education and nutrition.
“Other countries are receiving money from their governments,” Davison said. “We get the most out of our cash from our donors, sponsorships and personal funds. We made a lot of cash.”
Due to the economic blow to those monetary avenues of the coronavirus pandemic, Davison and his younger-profile Olympic sports colleagues relied on the Giving Games, fundraising activities that used to help athletes, which take place from July 24 to 24. There are 21 NGB of sports included in the Giving Games, in addition to USA Davison Cycling.
“We literally turn to the other people who look at us to put us in for monitoring,” Davison said. “What a lot of people don’t realize is how much we can get to the Olympics financially.”
Davison, who married his wife Frazier Blair in September 2018, said he was able to join his family circle through individual sponsorship, a luxury many Olympic athletes don’t have. A plethora of Olympic athletes is set on a two-race stage.
But even Olympic athletes who have a sponsorship budget like Davison do not receive full financial support. Davison said his sponsors didn’t cover all his expenses. She said she saw a major replacement for society’s attitude and that it helped her a lot to sponsor the country’s acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
Prior to the 2016 Games, Davison said they were concerned that gay or lesbian athletes would publicly faint, with concern that being visibly LGBTQ would cause them to lose sponsorship dollars. Greg Louganis won Olympic pass medals for the United States in 1984 and 1988 and was released in 1994. He said at the time, “there were ethical clauses in which a component of his non-public life can be used simply as an explanation of why cut sponsorship.”
This has dramatically replaced thanks to pioneers of LGBT athletes such as Adam Rippon, Gus Kenworthy and Megan Rapinoe, who profited from their public identity in sponsorship announcements.
“There’s been an incredible replacement in the last two years,” Davison said. “Thanks to pioneers like Megan, Gus and Adam, everything was reversed. And thank God for a more inclusive world. Before, it was “if corporations know I’m gay, I’ll lose sponsors.” Now, the fact that I’m gay is an advantage.”
Davison said her godfather, Louis Garneau Sports, helped make matching white cycling shirts designed to fit her and Frazier’s wedding, while her other sponsor, Clif Bar and Company, sold the marriage on social media.
“Some of those moves help me realize that I can talk more obviously about my sexuality and I feel empowered to show it,” Davison said. “I can show other young people that they are an example of a gay Olympian who can still have sponsorships (agreements). This is a vital message to send to the next generation.”
Davison said the evolution of marketing is also difficult because of its combativeness as opposed to the homophobia he has experienced in his game over the past few decades.
“Homophobia isn’t always blatant, most of the time it’s subtle,” Davison said. “And that can hurt physical performance when your emotional well-being and headspace are affected by sad and depressing acts.
“That’s why top Olympics (LGBT) at urgent times like these can be as significant.
Follow journalist Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.