The Spirit of the OLYMPIC GAMES v/s Geopolitical Games

THE SPIRIT OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

V/S GEOPOLITICAL GAMES

by Caroline-Artemis Laspas

When we see our fellow nationals win Olympic medals, we do not always realise just how hard they have had to work to get there, in terms of earning a living with a normal job, the time given to training, the funding needed for equipment or to rent facilities in order to train and to the sacrifices their families have made to get them to that specific point in time. Almost always there is no big sponsorship deal or national funding, that only comes once you become a success.

Therefore when you see the geopolitical games played between nations and organisations on a world stage at an event that should be held above such scenarios, it makes it hard for an athlete of either nation to maintain that deep spirit of achievement and success, especially if your nation has boycotted its participation or been banned for reasons far beyond any athlete’s control.

The Lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame at Olympia, Peloponesse, Greece

Last month, Japan hosted the delayed 2020 Olympic Games and we are now months away from the Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing, China in February 2022. Both events brought and will bring together the world’s top athletes in their respective sports to compete in the spirit of human competition, fair play, respect and to continue to uphold the values of the Olympics.

These athletes are not competing to advance their nations political goals, they are there to prove that they can be the best and are proud to achieve success in the name of their nation.

However, time has shown that the Olympic Games and other key events, over the past half century have been heavily politicised with calls for boycotts on nations by powerful countries trying to exert pressure on their rivals. They truly believe this method will succeed in helping them achieve their geological and business goals.

A classic example is during the 1980 Olympics that were held in Moscow. This was the Cold War era, when U.S.A. vs Soviet Union rivalry led to the U.S. boycott of the Moscow games. Four years later, the Soviet Union did the same and boycotted the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. It was devastating for the athletes of each country more than for the politicians of each nation. Did they achieve what they wanted – I doubt it.

This is where we need to take a step back and look at the true spirit of the Ancient Olympic Games. When the first Olympic Games took place in Greece in 776BC in the city of Olympia, the whole region called a truce to all conflicts for a set period of time (at that time the land of Greece was made up of clashing mini states and was not one country as it is today). This truce allowed for the safe travel of visitors and participants to and from the Games.

The ancient Olympics lasted until 393 and the truce was maintained throughout, without incident.

The Greeks were obsessed with the human body and were passionate to push it to its limits in the form of sport. The games allowed them to show the power, skill and control needed to be a perfect warrior or example of the human form.

The games held dear the excellence, friendship and respect of those taking part in the Games and this historical tradition was at the core of the revived Olympic Games in 1896 when the modern Olympic Games began.

Political disagreements between countries are nothing new. However, the Olympic Spirit has nothing to do with these disagreements.

When the host nation hands over the Olympic flag to the next hosting nation, with it goes the time-honoured values of the games and it gives both countries a huge opportunity to work closer together on many fronts to build relationships.

The ancient Greek Olympic tradition will always aim to pass on its sacred values and to inspire the next host nation, now being Beijing 2022 to reaffirm the shared humanity and commitment to peace and diversity.

As the countdown to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics begins, both Greece and China are nations that value history. Their cooperation in working together from the Athens 2004 Olympics to the Beijing 2008 Olympics is proof of how such an event can bring so many positive actions for both nations.

Beijing will be the 1st city in the world to host both the Olympic and Paralympic Summer and Winter Games. As the birthplace of the Olympic movement, Greece’s Prime Minister has accepted gratefully the invitation of the Chinese President to attend the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. It is for this reason that during the opening Ceremonies, the Greek flag sits alongside the hosting nations flag as well as the Olympic Committee flag. In addition, it is always the Greek Olympic team who enter the stadium first in honour of being the birthplace of the Olympics.

As the founder of the modern Games Pierre de Coubertin said ‘The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part’.