Olympics are not just about sports

Now, democratic countries, from the more amicable Australians to the in-your-face Americans, also use the Olympics to promote their country and instil pride in their citizens. However, one wonders if the Olympics should be held in countries that don't meet a certain standard of human rights and political freedom for its own citizens and that don't respect the international community at large. A state such as Iran may not make a great host, for instance. Mind you, some might say the United States is also an abuser of human rights, from the invasion of Iraq to keeping prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

What drives the Olympics, and this isn't cynicism for the sake of being cynical, but to be honest, is money. Not necessarily the individual athletes, but from the power brokers behind the scenes and the companies that are eager to make a buck from this highly publicized event. It's great to see athletes from around the world compete and try to beat their personal best and overcome odds. There will be heart-warming stories coming from these Games and some athletes will become heroes in their respective countries for bringing back gold. But the Olympics have been tainted by steroid scandals and the original ideals have been lost on some. It's not that Canadians shouldn't cheer on and support our athletes competing, but one wonders if all the money spent and invested in the Olympics, from the mass-marketing in bidding for the Games, building the facilities (hello Montreal's Big Oh!) to sponsoring elite athletes is all worth it. Could the funds Canadians invest in the Olympics be spent elsewhere? Would using this money to fix schools and hospitals or to deal with poverty, be a better investment?

It's not likely most Canadians would be willing to drop our participation in the Olympics altogether, but the event is much larger than sports, it really is 'big business' with heavy political overtones.

Sorry, no clear and final conclusion on this matter, just raising some interesting questions and issues to spark debate.

Feel free to post and share your comments online.

- Thundermonkey is a local sports expert who will express her opinions on Sportslight from time to time.