There will be no spectators at Sport Climbing's Olympic debut next week. What impact will this have on the athletes, who often beckon the crowd for extra support and rely on audience reactions to gauge their progress in relation to their fellow competitors, or to choose a particular method of attempting a move?
Climber and video creator Albert Ok researched this topic at the start of the pandemic and produced a video describing the role that a crowd can play in athletes' performances. He also interviewed me about the crowdless CWIF event in 2020, which featured piped cheering and clapping — something that is featuring at the Olympic Games, too.