The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Olympic Games for ice and winter sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability, and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The International Olympic Committee has had to adapt to a variety of economic, political and technological advancements. As a result, the Olympics has shifted away from pure amateurism, as envisioned by the modern Olympic games founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin, to allowing participation of professional athletes. The growing importance of mass media created the issue of corporate sponsorship and commercialization of the Games. With this commercialization came corruption for economic benefit, and the degradation of the morals we wish for the games to stand for.
The first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC. They were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia. These games are a show of human athleticism and celebration of sportsmanship. Idealistically The Olympics is supposed to be an honorable competition that peacefully brings people together. The Rio Olympics is coming up soon and that idealism is being shattered. It has had huge social impacts in the past because of the actions of people like Jessie Owens and his teammates who used The Olympics to salute the black panther movement in a show of black pride and self-respect. The Olympics can be a powerful force for positivity. It brings nations and people together and shows our commonalities like no other. But bodies are washing up at stadiums in Rio, and this means something very bad is happening there.
The Associated Press reported that on June 29, Wednesday, police near the Olympic beach volley venue in Copacabana had a foot and other body parts found on the shore. 10 people have been killed and about 50 schools have been shuttered over the past 10 days because of shootings triggered by police searches. Earlier this month, a drug kingpin managed to escape from a local hospital after a gang of men came into that hospital with guns blazing and killed innocent people. Police are trying to keep the drug traffickers in check for the Olympic games but they have not been going down without a fight. The police would not confirm the death toll. Which to me is a horrible sign that it is really high. In a place that is advertised as paradise, the Rio officials have declared ”A State of Public Calamity.” What makes matters worse is that some of the police and fire fighters in this city are not being paid and are expressing small protests already. One sign was seen at the airport saying “Welcome to hell. Police and firefighters don’t get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.” Rio has had a history of violence and corruption and the good cops and the good people of the city seem to be desperate and are fed up. This problem will only be exacerbated and lead to more violence and crime.
The IOC choose Rio over Chicago. On the outside, this looked like a great decision. But the IOC should have known that the city of Rio could not meet the minimum security requirements. The water is undrinkable, the people of the city are in a state of emergency, and bodies are literally washing up on the shores where some of the game stadiums are located.
The people, the athletes and the games are at great risk. Many athletes have already opted to not attend the 2016 Summer Olympics. I expect even more to opt out. And as viewers and fans, so should we. We cannot allow economic benefit to the people who stand to gain a lot from these games, while the city of Rio descends into chaos.
