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| Entzündung des Olympischen Feuer im Hera Tempel Griechenland Source: Deutschlandfunknova |
The idealistically splendid idea of the Olympic Games of the modern era by its founder Pierre de Coubertin was: "the youth of the world should compete in sporting contests and not fight each other on the battlefields". So far so good. Nevertheless, wars have been fought since 1896, and the worst the world has ever seen. So using sport as a means of international understanding has never worked. But once again, commercial greed has finally killed the Olympic idea. After Beijing 2021/2022, the Olympic idea and honour will be gone forever.
If one were to consistently translate the results of Olympic sporting competitions into concrete policy today, e.g. according to the eternal medal table of the Summer Games, the spheres of power in the world would essentially have to be divided among the following five nations: USA, 37%; Russia, 23%; Germany, 19%; United Kingdom, 13%; and China, 9%. In terms of population, Germany would even be in first place, but that's just by the way. China's arithmetically small share is certainly due to special political circumstances, such as the long absence of China from Olympic participation in the first place. In relation to the population's share of the Olympic medal haul, however, China's status is pitifully small. China's political leadership is painfully aware of these correlations and will do everything in Beijing to change these circumstances in China's favour in future. However, such mind games already clearly show one of the negative developments with regard to the Olympic idea.
Nevertheless, the Olympic Games were a reasonably honourable affair for a long time, apart from the propaganda events of the Nazis in 1936. The "purity" of the Olympic idea initially depended less on the status of the competing participants as amateurs or professional athletes, nor on the political situations of the host countries, but primarily on the rejection of sponsors by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The American Avery Brundage, IOC President from 1952 to 1972, was still authoritarian in his opposition to any kind of commercialisation of the Olympic Games. But with Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torello, IOC President from 1980 to 2001, all the dams broke. Amateur status was abolished and by allowing sponsors, the Olympic Games were finally commercialised and thus also immediately corrupted. The athletes became cannon fodder for officials, sponsors, unscrupulous doctors, media and politicians. Their physical well-being, damaged and desecrated above all by doping, has since been sacrificed at all events on the altar of supposed records, fame and honour but above all lucrative profits.
The IOC President in office since 2013 is the German Thomas Bach. A former fencer and thus an athlete in a sport that has always been about honour. He has not been able to put an end to these goings-on. Under his leadership, the IOC has repeatedly bowed to obscure political pressure with regard to venues, the type of event, the time of the event and changes to the rules. That a German, of all people, is responsible for this development is a bitter pill to swallow for what is actually the most successful Olympic team in the world in the long term.
The Olympic idea has finally ruined its course. The Olympics have become nothing but dubious. Doubtful in how decisions are made, doubtful in how the Games are conducted, doubtful in how the athletes' performances are fairly evaluated. Participating in the Olympic Games in the future may bring in some fame for a while, but the glory of participation is long gone.
