Quote:
Originally Posted by Carotio
Politics was also involved in 1916, 1940 and 1944, when the games were cancelled because of the two world wars.
Moscow was "cancelled" or rather boycutted by many, because the Soviet Union had just started the invasion of Afghanistan.
The USA is still a nation in war, more or less. Not against another nation, but still having soldiers on foreign soil. You never know if this fact has influenced the IOC members too.
This is the Olympics of modern time. Difficult to completely seperate from politics.
Not like the Olympics of the antique, when all the Greek city states, put their wars to side, made a cease-fire and celebrated the sports in peace and harmony for several hundred years in the valley below Mount Olympia in central Greece...
If it lasted hundred years back then, it may very well last just as long in our times or maybe even longer. So you never know if it will one day be held in YOUR city. Unless you live in a desert tent in an oasis in the middle of Sahara...  |
Yeah, I have no idea why anyone would think that the Olympics are NOT political. With the monies involved and the built-in international stage, the Olympics are inherently political.
Besides, if they are not political, no one bothered to tell the Palestinians in 1972 ... well before Carter cancelled US participation in the games.