This week’s postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics highlights a significant issue. One that all sports leagues will have to deal with. Especially Major League Baseball, whose regular season was originally set to start this week.

There’s one reason why holding the Olympics in July as planned would be difficult. The Covid-19 pandemic is disrupting training time for athletes around the world. Athletes don’t just randomly stumble into the Olympics. They train for many years just to qualify for the two-week event. Host cities also put years of planning and resources into those two weeks. Typical training schedules for all athletes have been thrown into disarray. In what is practically the 11th hour for the athletes and host city Tokyo.

Having the Olympics in July would be particularly disingenuous to the athletes. Going in less prepared than they would be under normal circumstances. Leaving them struggling to live up to the Olympics’ “Faster, Higher, Stronger” motto. Through adding an unnecessary hurdle for the athletes to clear. For something already packed with massive metaphorical and literal hurdles to clear.

Major League Baseball and other sports leagues are facing similar dilemmas. Not just determining when but how to resume play. While also providing enough time for teams to be prepared. The NBA and NHL are trying to figure out how to conclude their seasons. Both suspending play weeks before the start of their respective playoffs.

Since baseball’s regular season didn’t start; baseball is in a much better position to re-group. Teams already played a large portion of their spring training exhibitions. Those exhibitions don’t really need to resume. However, just diving head first into the regular season wouldn’t be wise. After this disruptive break, players and coaches will need time to practice as a team. Something MLB teams might not be able to do until May. Plus, having the time to adequately finalize rosters going into Opening Day.

Then there are questions about how this regular season will be structured. With questions about how many games will be played. The possibility of this year’s All-Star Game and related festivities happening. Along with the impact on the MLB Draft and trade deadline. Plus, will the Cincinnati Reds start their season at home as usual?

One of the worst aspects of this pandemic is the uncertainty. Not just in sports but in every part of life. Major League Baseball must navigate it along with all of us.