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Games Nations Play
Politics and Olympics haven't always been friends. But, they've always been together since mythical times...
There was one lap of honour that all Australians may not have wanted to see at the Sydney Olympics. The irony was that it was run by an Australian. The now-retired Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman won the gold in the women's 400 mts event and bore the aboriginal flag, that of the nation of her ancestors, the original inhabitants of the island. And Australia, the nation as we know today, bore before the world the burden of its shame: a history of discrimination against its indigeneous people.
For the people to whom freeman traces her roots, the dark and diminutive sprinter wasn't just a top-class athlete. When Cathy ran, they spoke. When Cathy ran, they were heard.
Amidst the hint of a controversy, the IOC allowed Freeman to fly the aboriginal flag. For Freeman's people, fighting for equal rights (to land, most recently) that's a political statement that was worth as much, if not more than a gold. Because the platform that was used to make the statement was the Olympics.
Politics and Olympics haven't always been friends. But, they've always been together since mythical times when the games are believed to have been organised by Gods and mythical heroes. The ancient Olympics often had the motive of bringing together warlike city-states of ancient Greece.
According to Greek mythology, Zeus, the God of Justice, started the Games to celebrate his victory over his father Cronus for control over the world. Aeons later in Berlin, 1936, when Hitler was doing his best to celebrate the supremacy of the Aryan race, black Americna sprinter Jesse Owens made a memorable political statement without saying a word. Owens won 4 golds but Hitler, then refused to shake hands with a black champion.
22 years later, in Mexico, the wheel appeared to have come a full circle. Black American sprinters Tommy Smith and John Carlos raised their fists and lowered their heads in the Black power salute as they stood on the victory podium. Smith and Carlos had won gold and bronze at the 200 mts but they did nto win many friends. They were expelled from the Olympic village.
Being the innovators of the Games, the ancient greeks establisthed monopoly by decreeing that only Greek nationals could participate in the pan-Hellenic games in Antiquity, in 776 BC. Greek poets and philosophers read out their works before huge gathering. The Olympics had become the platform for propoganda, and have stayed that way.
While the Olympic Games were being celebrated in the 4th century BC, Alexander had it proclaimed in Olympia that all exiles should return to their cities, except those who had been charged with sacrilege or murder. In the year 2000, Cuba has warned its 241 Olympians from defecting.
The penalty for defecting under incentive was stringent even in ancient times. At the 99th festival, Sotades was victorious in the long race and proclaimed a Cretan, as in fact he was. But at the next Festival, he converted to an Ephesian under monetary incentive from them. He was banished by the Cretans, spoiling his chances for competing in the Games thereafter.
Flash forward to Sydney, September 2000. Cuba did not permit world champion long jumper Niurka Montalvo, 31, to represent Spain. Cuban-born Montalvo had moved to Spain in 2002, married a Spaniard, and received Spanish citizenship. Cuba was invoking an IOC rule: athletes who change citizenship must wait three years before competing for their new country, though in three years the atheletes chances for competing may be marred forever.
The politics of nationality have dominated the games through the ages, but the 20th century has seen the politics of gender catch up.
The very games whose sacred flame burned at the altar of the Goddess Hera barred women from participating. It was only in teh 1900 Paris Olympics that women athletes participated for the first time.
The Sydney 2000 Olympics was the first Olympic where it was made mandatory for sports to include women's events to enter the Games. The games marked the introduction of twenty-three women's events. There were thus a record number of women participants.
Whatever his politics, Zeus the Greek God of Justice, would surely be pleased to see balance restored.