The Meaning of the Olympics

For the past two weeks the whole world sat in front of their television or was in Salt Lake City. The Olympics had started and you could sense it everywhere. The great opening ceremony with a boy with a lamp and the pilgrims coming to America. The overwhelming music by John Williams. And of course the Flame.

This is and has been for a long time the tradition of the Olympics, the one sports event where participating is more important than winning. But why all the sad faces of the people who didn’t get a medal, or who didn’t won gold? You were there, weren’t you? You participated, right? And why you doping, when it doesn’t matter if you are the fastest, or score the most goals, or get the most points, or whatever you have to do when you play curling?

The soul of the Olympics has worn off, I think. People see it as the height of their career to win there. You can’t come to the Olympics just to have fun, you must at least break your personal record. People do anything to win, and don’t mind when someone falls down. As long as they can get on the stage to receive their medal.

And how about corrupt juries, two gold medal winners now because of that. That doesn’t sound very much in the spirit of the Olympics. And those three cross-country skiers who used doping. You shouldn’t do that, especially at the Olympics.

The Olympics are about the great things of sports. It unites people from all over the world. Watching people do amazing things. It’s joy, sometimes sadness. It’s binding, and magical. I believe that that shouldn’t be ruined by very upset sportsmen and women when they’ve lost. Or using doping and corrupt juries.

When you lose at the Olympics you ought to congratulate the one who didn’t. You ought to celebrate anyway. I think that’s what the Olympics are about. You were there, even though you didn’t get a medal. Of course it’s nice to see someone break the world record. But it’s also nice to see someone try his or her best and being content with the result, even if it isn’t a medal.

Participating should become more important than winning again, maybe then the Olympics would be better than ever. Did you see those (I believe it were and please correct me if it weren’t) Venezuelans cross-country skiers, who had the time of their life even though the came in an hour after the first. That’s what the Olympics is about!

Links

• A Convention Report
• Move Review: Black Hawk

• The Meaning Of The Olympics

• Resumes