Olympics

Tokyo 2020: Why is Elena Delle Donne not playing for the USA at the Olympics?

The United States Women's Basketball Team arrives at Tokyo 2020 as strong favoriteto claim the gold medal again. Elena Delle Donne, however, won't be part of the team that will chase Olympic glory.

Updated on
July 26, 2021 04:49PM EDT

Elena Delle Donne will miss the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. (Getty)

The Summer Olympics have finally begun after a long delay due to the pandemic outbreak last year. The USA Women’s Basketball Team is ready to make its Tokyo 2020 debut hoping to chase another gold medal. Elena Delle Donne won’t be part of the team this time.

The 31-year-old played a key role at the last Olympic Games in Río de Janeiro to help the USA Team winits sixth gold medal in a row and it seemed like she would bemakinga second consecutiveOlympics appearance.

The outlook has changed drastically for Delle Donne, though, as she struggled to spend time in court lately. Unfortunately, she won’t be representing her country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where the USA are heavy favorites to win again.

Elena Delle Donne to miss Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Elena Delle Donne in action at the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Getty)

The Washington Mystics superstar hasn’t made it in time for the Summer Olympics this year. Elena Delle Donne wasn’t called up to the USA Women’s Basketball Team for Tokyo 2020 as she hasn’t fully recovered from her latest back surgery in December 2020.

The Rio 2016 gold medalist played through injury for the Mystics in the 2019 WNBA Finals and has not taken part in a basketball game since then. Following Washington’s triumph, she underwentback surgery in January 2020 andsat out the following season to focus on her recovery while expressing health concerns regarding Covid-19.

After sufferingre-herniation in the back, she went through another procedure. Even though she advanced in her recovery process, Delle Donne couldn’t make it to the beginning of the 2020 WNBA season and there’s no timetable for her return yet. Sadly, she has also missed the Olympics on the way.

Martín O’donnell

Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, currently serving as the Editor of Bolavip. He began his journey with the website in February 2021, making a name for himself through comprehensive coverage of soccer, NFL, and NBA, with a specialty in real-time reporting of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. In June 2024, Martin took on the role of Subeditor, where he excelled in overseeing the publication of stories, assisting staff writers, and ensuring content quality. His prior experience includes managing social media for CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and Spanish, as well as reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news, Martin has consistently been a valuable asset to the Bolavip team, especially during crucial sports seasons involving trades, playoffs, and finals. Now, as the Editor, Martin brings his extensive experience and keen editorial sense to lead Bolavip’s team, driving the website's growth and ensuring it remains a top source for sports news and analysis.