The Atlantic Daily: Is This the Start of a Healthier Era of Sports?
Simon Biles’s withdrawal from the Olympics reminds us that there are humans behind unfathomable athletic feats.
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The Olympics are supposed to be an athlete’s ultimate test; a gold medal, the pinnacle of success. But this year, life is proving bigger than sport.
Simone Biles, who—much like her fellow Olympian Naomi Osaka did at the French Open—withdrew from the competition over mental-health concerns, reminds us that there are humans behind such unfathomable feats.
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Biles may help usher in a new era in sports. “For athletes, a willingness to sit one out, if they need to, may make for more humane conditions,” Robert O’Connell writes.
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Critics don’t understand her generation. “Some people—conservative men in particular—simply cannot bear to see a woman of color making her own choices about what’s best for her,” Jemele Hill writes.
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Do Olympic-level achievements make people happy? Our staff writer Joe Pinsker looks at how big dreams can actually undermine our own satisfaction.
The rest of the news in three sentences:
(1) President Joe Biden announced that the federal government will require workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine or submit to weekly testing and other rules. (2) Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney over the digital release of Black Widow. (3) U.S. gymnast Suni Lee won the gold in the all-around competition, helping America retain its lead in the overall medal count.
What to read if … you’re looking for practical advice on how to manage your risk in light of Delta:
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If you’re vaccinated, your risk of a symptomatic breakthrough case remains very low. And if you do get COVID-19, your immune system is better prepared to handle an infection than it would have been without the vaccine.
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The CDC now recommends fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in communities with “substantial or high transmission.” See if that applies to you.
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Should you take additional precautions? It depends. Our staff writer Katherine J. Wu recommends checking local virus conditions like the weather every day.
Tonight’s Atlantic-approved activity:
The Green Knight, which releases in theaters at midnight, is one of the best movies of the year.
A break from the news:
The MyPillow guy really could destroy democracy.
Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox.