Roy Rochlin/Getty ImagesLindsey Vonn continues to be a big cheerleader for Olympic athletes.
After the coronavirus pandemic postponed the 2020 Summer Games, some sports fans are curious to find out if the rescheduled dates for 2021 will continue. If you ask the three-time medalist, the show must go on!
"I honestly can't imagine what it's like to be an Olympic athlete and have the Olympics be delayed a whole year," Lindsey exclusively told E! News while rehearsing for the Sports Illustrated Awards. "It really changes the dynamics of a lot of things for a lot of athletes. Athletes are going to have to be able to adapt to the circumstance."
"But I think given the fact that the vaccine is already rolling out, I think the Olympics will happen next year," the alpine ski racer continued. "The Olympic committee has been doing whatever to make it the safest Olympics possible. I think the people we expect to win like Simone Biles and the faces of the Summer Olympics, I think, will still be there, but it's definitely going to be different. It's going to be with a whole new set of challenges so I definitely don't envy them. I'm kind of thankful that I'm retired."
Back in September 2020, International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates expressed confidence that the games will start July 23, 2021 "with or without COVID."
Until then, Lindsey is proud to celebrate the past year at the SI Awards. Streaming live on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. EST through Facebook, the brand-new show will include awards like Player of the Year and Team of the Year. The event will also highlight athletes for their actions on and off the field.
"I'm really impressed by this kind of generation of athlete where they're not only speaking their mind, but they're making an impact in the world," Lindsey shared. "It wasn't that long ago where people thought, ‘Just shut up and dribble.' That we didn't have a right or place to say anything. But we're people too and these athletes that were selected to win Athlete of the Year really exemplified what is possible in our world and what difference we can make, what impact we can make with our voices."
The host of Amazon Prime's The Pack added, "Like in basketball or football, people are taking a stand on issues that in the past, nobody would touch with a 10-foot pole so I think this is a new wave of athletes coming through and I'm really happy that some of the biggest names in sports made an impact."
And while fans experienced their favorite teams in unique ways during COVID-19, Lindsey believes there is still so much to celebrate in the world of sports. As a co-host for the SI Awards, the 36-year-old athlete hopes to do her part.
"People are doing amazing things in the world still," she explained. "Just because we're in a pandemic, doesn't mean we don't have hope and doesn't mean we can't be inspired."