Watched, I did, the Olympic Games. Cheered, I did for Canadian competitors, both those that did well and tried their hardest. Even from the limited CBC Olympic coverage you can easily see the pain and anguish on all athletes, irregardless of country. The Olympics, to them, is the pinnacle of their existence, and to not win is a life changing event.
The Olympic Games allows us all to be cheek and jowl with so many countries of the world that would otherwise be snuffed out and non-existent in our media controlled world. I saw Mongolia in wrestling, and though I know that Mongolia is an independent country, had never given them another thought before the Olympics. Bringing to the attention of all world-wide viewer the skills of a small country is no small feat, but here they were, for all to see, a representative of Mongolia. That can only be good.
To compete with the rest of the world in a fair competition, without killing each other, is a noble venture. Fair, however, has not been the Olympics. The IOC has always been running from one scandal to yet another. While the athletes toil and train, awaiting the day of competition, the IOC seems to broker back room deals for he big money. This should stop immediately. It seems that the system of the Olympics is ready and able to kill it, to snuff it out.
Do only good, do no harm. As a collection of races, can we not keep at least the Olympics corruption free? Do we have nothing sacred for humanity?
Rio and Brazil are breathtakingly beautiful. The scenes we saw on tv were fantastic. But how will the Olympics affect Brazil and their poor population financially? I doubt that much benefit came to those in Rio’s numerous barrios. Not only will there be no benefit, but Brazil and all Brazilians will be paying for this Rio Olympics for many a year, if not many generations.
Friendly sporting competitions should not financially negatively affect the host nation. If the Olympics cannot be held and not make a positive financial and humanitarian contribution to he host nation, it should not be held there. Some countries in the world can afford an Olympics without a problem, but a poor country in financial straits such as Brazil, this is not possible. One should not bankrupt one’s nation for the sake of 2 weeks of entertainment for the world. Key to the humanitarian ideals of helping our fellow human, we should not have allowed the Olympics to be held in Brazil.
A recurring theme, most recently in China, Britain and Brazil, is that the Olympics negatively affects the host nation, possibly for generations. We, as consumers of this Olympic entertainment, should have more compassion for the people of the host nation. I would never want the Olympics here in Toronto. Our taxpayer money can be better spent on the city rather than the folly of the Olympic games.
