Manchester City full-back Demi Stokes says that Team GB have a job to do at this summer’s Olympic Games and they will not be paying attention to near-empty stadiums in Tokyo.
Overseas fans will not be permitted to travel to Japan to support their respective nations while the situation regarding the attendance of some home spectators is continually changing. With Japan in the middle of another COVID-19 wave, it may be that no fans are admitted at all.
Manchester City defender Stokes made the final cut for Team GB’s 18-player squad. When speaking following the squad announcement this week, she said that the team will not be distracted by empty stadiums, although they will be grateful for the opportunity to play in-front of a small number of Japanese fans if the situation allows.
“When you go into tournament football, you always look to perform regardless of if there are fans or not,” Stokes said “I think it will be exciting, we have a good team behind the scenes making things safe but they will try to still make the tournament enjoyable.
“Going into Japan, we are aware of what has been going on and we are very respectful. Although they are not British fans, they’re fans at the end of the day and they have been going through a tough time just like everyone else. I think that it is good that they might be allowed in the stadiums and that they can have a bit of normality and something to look forward to after everything that has gone on.”
Team GB will be taking more female athletes to an Olympic Games than male for the very first time and Stokes said that it provides an opportunity to push the growth of female sports including football further.
She said “I think it is massive and I just think it shows where sport is going and football is going. It shows where we are going as a nation, we want to propel things forward and we want momentum to keep growing and growing.
“Being a part of the history is important and I think that there is a responsibility to go and perform and do well and put the shirt and Team GB in a better place for the next generation coming through.”
Stokes is joined in the Team GB squad by some fellow North East natives including Durham-born defender Steph Houghton and Sunderland-born Jill Scott. The full-back said that it is an honour to rub shoulders with those players.
“I watched Steph and I watched Jill at the last Olympics and to be going with them and to be representing the North East with Team GB is a great honour,” Stokes added. “To do it with other great people and other talented teammates is really exciting.”
Team GB begin their participation in the Olympic Games’ Women’s Football Tournament on 21 July with a fixture against Chile in Sapporo.
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