The excitement of the Summer Olympic Games is right around the corner: soon to start July 27 and end August 12, 2012 in London, England. Immediately following are the 2012 Paralympics Games, held August 29 through September 9, 2012.
While enjoying 26 action packed sports and 39 disciplines, spectators, athletes, and countries are supposed to aspire to the fundamental principles of Olympism, as set by the International Olympic Committee(IOC):
The Fundamental Principles of Olympism
“Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
The Olympic Movement is the concerted, organised, universal and permanent action, carried out under the supreme authority of the IOC, of all individuals and entities who are inspired by the values of Olympism. It covers the five continents. It reaches its peak with the bringing together of the world’s athletes at the great sports festival, the Olympic Games. Its symbol is five interlaced rings.
The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. The organisation, administration and management of sport must be controlled by independent sports organisations.
Recognising that sport occurs within the framework of society, sports organisations within the Olympic Movement shall have the rights and obligations of autonomy, which include freely establishing and controlling the rules of sport, determining the structure and governance of their organisations, enjoying the right of elections free from any outside influence and the responsibility for ensuring that principles of good governance be applied.
Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.
Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires compliance with the Olympic Charter and recognition by the IOC.”
Top 6 Most Memorable Summer Olympic Political Statements
However, with alarming and recurring frequency, olympism has been violated or punctuated by various political statements:
#6 “Black Power” (1968)
At the Mexico City, Mexico Olympics, Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos won the gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200 meter track race. While on the winners podium stand, both wore only black socks and no shoes on their feet. Since Carlos forgot his black gloves, he wore Smith’s left glove while Smith wore the right one and a black scarf. During the USA national anthem, they then raised their black gloved fists high and hung their heads down. Captured in a very memorable Olympic symbolic picture, their protest was against racial segregation, poverty, and the oppression of the black people.
Labeling it a domestic political statement, the IOC and its president Avery Brundage sent them home immediately and banned them from the Olympics for life.
#5 Bombing the Olympics as Protest of Abortion (July 27, 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
Eric Rudolph planted a bomb in Centennial Olympic Park. Its explosion killed 2 people and injured 110.
He confessed that: “…the purpose of the attack on July 27th was to confound, anger and embarrass the Washington government in the eyes of the word for its abominable sanctioning of abortion on demand…The plan was to force the cancellation of the Games, or at least create a state of insecurity to empty the streets around the venues and thereby eat into the vast amounts of money invested.”
During his trial for several bombing events, he admitted to a guerrilla campaign against abortion, “the homosexual agenda”, and the U.S. government. He received 2 consecutive life sentences without parole.
#4 North Korea boycott of South Korea (1988) and their reconciliation
The 1988 Seoul, South Korea games were boycotted by North Korea, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Ethiopia. As a sign of heartwarming peace, their athletes marched together in subsequent games (2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens). Yet, they did not do so at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Reconciliation signs are important positive steps toward a peace treaty between the 2 countries. Technically, they are still at war, having only the July 27,1953 armistice (I.e. agreement to temporarily suspend hostilities) in place.
#3 Back to Back Olympic Boycotts (1980, 1984) and more boycotts
1980 Moscow, USSR – After the Union of Sovies Socialist Republics (USSR) invaded Afghanistan in 1979, 45 to 50 nations, led by the United States, protested by boycotting.
1984 Los Angeles, United States – The USSR and 13 Eastern block countries (excluding Romania) announced their absence due to safety reasons: “Chauvinistic sentiments and anti-Soviet hysteria are being whipped up in this country.” The world and these USA Olympics missed their athletes, which had represented 58% of the 1976 Montreal Olympic gold medals. Others saw it as “an eye for an eye” boycott response.
1976 Montreal, Canada – 22 African countries wanted New Zealand banned from the games, because its rugby team toured apartheid South Africa. When their request was denied, they withdrew from Montreal.
Other boycotts by various countries have occurred on a smaller scale.
#2 Palestine Black September Organization attacks Israeli Olympic team (Sept. 5, 1972)
In Munich, Germany, 8 members of the Palestine terrorist or resistance group stormed the Olympic village, took 11 Israeli athletes and officials hostage, and eventually killed them. In retaliation, Israel and its Mossad national intelligence agency killed dozens of Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO) people in Operation Bayonet.
If the athletes from Israel and the various Middle East countries could compete against each other without incident, it would be another small but important step in their complicated peace negotiation process.
#1 Complete Cancellation of the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Olympics
Count it as an amazing Olympic achievement, if the 2012 London Games goes well. Just having athletes from all the different countries come together and compete is a superb symbol of peace. Past ones were completely cancelled due to something more pressing and ominous, namely world war:
1916 Berlin, Germany (World War I)
1940 Tokyo, Japan and the runnerup site Helsinki, Finland (World War II)
1944 London, England (World War II)
Here is to an exciting 2012 London Olympic games and peace and harmony on earth!