I feel as though i've been slapped in the face. After my appraisal of the Olympic Games, and all they stand for, Russia and Georgia are in a fall- out. In my opinion...Disgusting! Call me a dreamer, call me naive, call me whatever you want; I don't think there is a better for a country to disgrace themselves and the spirit of the Olympic Games, than to actively participate in a fall- out, during the Games.
This may be idealist of me, but i don't think that two- weeks, out of every year, every four years, is to much to ask, is it? Have the standards of the Olympics become that high, that even our super- power nations find it hard to control themselves? Has it become to much for the globe, already, seemingly, war- torn and ravaged, that two- weeks of peace, and friendlyness is simply an impossible task?
Answer: Obviously it is the case.
Personally, and this may seem rather stupid, but i think that both Russia and Georgia should be stripped of the priviledge of participating in the Games. Russia is due to host the Winter Olympics in 2014, they should be stripped of that priviledge too. Despite how "unrealistic", the ideals of the Olympics are, i think that they serve as a reminder of how people should attempt to treat and get along with one another. I find it hard to believe that we can call ourselves people, lest of all intelligent of all species, when we often act just as bad as animals.
Sure, it's human nature to hit back if you get hit. This Russia- Georgia incident has been brewing, apparently. It was bound to happen. I will not, however, condone that such attacks are occuring during the Olympic Games. Strip them both and send the Olympians back. All that hard training and effort, all those expectations, all those hopes and dreams, resting on the success of the Olympians. Shatter the dream, and break the spirit! Send the representatives home, in tears, see if they can make their leaders see some sense...Yeah right! Guess i should go back to sleep.!Rationally speaking, this would be stupid very stupid. It would be fighting fire with fire. It would almost be a case of committing the crime for which one is punishing another. The Olympians aren't to blame.
The last blog was partially about my pride in my heritage. All this anger is probably a result of wounded pride. However, this is more than just about being Greek. The Olympics are categorised for the morals and values they work upon. Every IOC President has mentioned the values in his opening speech at the Opening Ceremony of every Olympic Games. I guess i'm just upset that the one event that is supposed to promote peace for a period, which comes, sometimes when the time is right; Is now being undermined by the actions of two countries. It undermines the spirit of the games, changes the nature of competition between the countries, and then changes the nature of the Olympics. They are no longer "friendly", or "peaceful", or "fun". They're just the same like everything else. A farce with idealistic morals and values, out- dated for today's society that it comes redundant.
This is more than just a small issue, "like water under a bridge", for me at least. These countries have disgraced themselves, and the Olympic Games in the process. This is disturbing and, sadly, perhaps a sign that the Games, and their legacy, are on the way out. What a shame! I thought they still had a while to go..obviously it's not the case. I feel as though i'm apart of another world that, dreams of the days of peace, in a society, seemingly, becoming more and more accustomed to war and strife; It's almost scary to think that it may be so common, that it stops bothering some people.
Maybe it's precisely that i care so much, that this is a big deal. Okay, remove the Games for a second, at you're still left with people dying, as if there wasn't already enough of this going on! The fact of the Games going on at the same time is only adding fuel to this fire. In spite of all the anger and frustration, i won't stop caring, neither about the lives of those involved, or about how this will damage the Olympic Games. I guess i'll have to wait, to analyse the effects this will have on the Games, when they close for yet another Olympiad. Till then, i will hope against hope that, by some miracle or luck of chance, that things simmer- down.....Yeah, i'm definitely in need of some serious sleep!
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2 comments:
The olympics stopped being about morals and such like years ago. Now they are a commodity, a product, a brand name, like the World Cup of Football (which is actually bigger than the olympics in terms of TV audience). As a commodity, it is bought and sold to the highest bidder. Countries do this because they see it as a boost to their economy. These IOC people pay lip service to the ideals for which it supposedly stands while trying to commericalize it as much a possible and miximize their revenue from it. The whole selection process is corrupt and shady.
So ultimately, they dangle this 'spotlight of the world on your country' + potential enormous profits of money for business community, but not public purse (it took montreal 30 years to pay off their games) to the country that will give them the most and will work hardest to further enhance the salability of the olympics. To the IOC giving the olympics to a country is a cynical exercise in self-interest. It's bereft of any sort of integrity. The members of the IOC are the take- it's an enormous cash cow, so any sort of ideals is a mere facade that people imbue the olympics with rather than see them for what they are: one of the most commericalized sporting ventures on the planet.
So, I'll take a pass and watch other TV instead and be blissfully unaware of the whole waste of time that it is. Seems I'm not alone in that either: the last olympics in Athens had the lowest ratings in the US of any olympics ever and the ratings have been dropping for the olympics, particuarly in the US for years. Hopefully one day it will choke on its own excess and go back to what it was supposed to be in the first place. Not a poor excuse for bad television and crappy sports...
As i said: "Call me a dreamer, call me naive..."
Perhaps the Olympic organisers do need a wake- up call. I still think that the bottome line is that the legacy of the games, if it is as you say, (already damaged), will break. I just don't want the event itself to be thought of as the object that is corrupt, but rather the victim of corruption!
I personally don't care what happens to the people in charge, it is the values and the legacy of the Games that i care about.
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