In light of the ongoing Olympics in Sochi and all the politics surrounding it, I was tasked with writing an essay for my World Issues class about what stance Canada should take on the issues surround Russia today. I chose to focus more on the issue of politics taking over the Olympics in general. Enjoy!
Since the birth of the modern Olympics,
the world has seen a number of these competitions have their focus shifted from
the performance of the athletes to social and political agendas unrelated to
the games themselves. Many questions
have been raised as to whether this is a positive or negative trend, and what
effect this will have on the legitimacy of the Olympics as an honest international
sporting event. This trend is again making an appearance at the 2014 Sochi
Olympics. The question that has been
raised by many is how Canadians and our government should behave in this occasion,
as a modern western democracy with some contrasting views to Russian politics. Should
we boycott the Olympics completely, showcasing our disapproval for some Russia
laws? Or should we be fully supportive of Russia in all they do? In my opinion,
the answer to this question is neither. The athletes are being removed from the
focus of the Olympics when compared to the social and political crusading of
other parties. The Games have been taken over by small groups trying to advance
their own principles at the expense of the athletes. Blameless people are being
intimidated away from participation in the games through threats of negative
association with issues entirely unrelated to them. Canada needs to send a delegation of
representatives to the Olympic Games as visible support for our athletes and as
a sign of respect to the institution of the Olympics themselves, and not as a
political statement of any kind.
Issues unrelated and irrelevant
to the Olympic Games can overshadow the
athletes and their accomplishments. The Olympics have frequently been used as a
political platform. The 1936 Berlin Olympics were infamously used by Adolph
Hitler to promote his political and cultural views; the Munich Olympics
resulted in Israeli athletes being murdered in their beds by Palestinian
terrorists. Nelson Mandela used the event of the 1992 Barcelona games to
famously draw attention to the end of apartheid in South Africa. The Olympics
are meant to be an international coming-together of athletes and nations that
transcend politics. Athletes spend their entire lives working towards one
single performance at the Olympics, viewing them as their chance at glory on
the world’s biggest stage. The athlete’s family, coaches, and community all
spend significant time and resources to perform at the Olympics, yet they risk
being eclipsed by social disagreements.
The purpose of these Games has
been hijacked by some very vocal segments of society who are using the games to
publicize their own personal opinions and biases against the laws and
procedures of a foreign country. Many current government leaders, as well as
influential administrators in mass media and representatives of the Canadian
people, were raised during the Cold war and so have already been bombarded by
anti-Russian propaganda since an early age, in a western culture already
socialized to mistrust any country with a form of government not closely
resembling a western democracy. In history, there has been a long and difficult
relationship between the western world and Russia (formerly the USSR),
resulting in Russia being portrayed almost exclusively as a dangerous enemy to
western civilization (for example, resulting in the formation of NATO). Because
of this background based in apprehension of all things Russian, any contrast
between Russian and western culture is met with a great deal of suspicion. Political
and social activists are also using the games to advance their own agendas
against perceived suppression of human rights, at the expense of the athletes
and the integrity of the games. The actual purpose of the games has been
overshadowed by the interests of a group of people taking advantage of the
world wide stage as an opportunity to promote their own beliefs.
The projection of perceived
political messages through the presence or absence of countries (and the level of prestige possessed by the delegate
from each country ) at the Olympic games has led to the intimidation of
governments, businesses, and private
citizens from participating in games as they seem fit without being attacked. Worldwide Olympic partners (Such as Coca-Cola
and Panasonic) are being pressured and harassed by activist groups, who draw
unfounded links to the companies sponsorship of the Olympics and Olympic
athletes to labelling them as homophobic and inhumane, regardless of the fact
that protest leaders themselves have acknowledged that Coca Cola and several
other of the companies are actually highly commendable for their protection of
employees from discrimination. Representatives
from countries are subjected to accusations of complete, all-encompassing
support of all Russian policies (although this allegation has never been made
in past Olympic games), and judged for them.
These people and businesses have been condemned as guilty of attacks on
human rights without any evidence for or against this claim, excluding the
party’s support of a popular, international event. The presence of Canadian athletes or officials
(both of whom are there for the purpose of representing Canada) does not
signify agreement or disagreement with any of Russia’s actions or policies, and
their actions should not be unfairly identified as such. People should not have
to fear unjust and unfounded allegations, but be able to experience the Games
in any way they wish without being pressured by outside factors.
Canada needs to send officials to
Sochi to support our athletes there and demonstrate our pride in our country,
and not to communicate any kind of judgement. The athletes and their sports,
the alleged focus of the games, are being dwarfed in comparison to the
political and social campaigns of other people. The Games themselves have been seized
and recreated as a broadcasting opportunity by small groups of people for use
towards their own personal intentions. Sponsors, private businesses, individuals
and governments are being harassed with threats of adverse accusations made
against them, due to concerns completely uninvolved with the person in
question. The Olympic Games have always had their fair share of controversy. As
with any event in which the best and brightest citizens of many nations around
the world are set to compete against each other, countries are quick to turn
their eyes upon one another. However, as to not violate the Olympic spirit of
equality, all countries need to enter the Olympics with the sole intent of watching
their athletes perform, and not to pass judgement on other countries in anything
not directly connected to the actual sports in question. Russia’s policies and
laws should not be the focus of these Games. Canadian athletes are here to compete
and to bring together their entire lives efforts and sacrifices, and Canada
needs to be there cheering them on. The
Olympics need to be returned to their roots as a purely athletic event and
leave social and political campaigns to diplomatic platforms. Politicians need
to return the Olympic podiums to the athletes.
