In a sense, the Olympics are as much about inspiration as they are about competition. But, thanks to the International Olympic Committee and its national branches, as well as the associations representing particular sports, it is also about something much darker: greed, exploitation, and rank hypocrisy.
BERLIN – The Summer Olympic Games are in full swing in Rio. Every time the world’s top athletes gather for the Games, people everywhere have the opportunity not just to root for their countries, but also to become engrossed by stories of sacrifice and success, of broken bones and broken records. Beyond the incredible feats of athleticism are powerful triumphs of the spirit, like that of the Syrian refugee swimmer Yusra Mardini, who less than a year ago jumped into the Mediterranean to help push her broken-down dinghy, containing 19 other refugees, to safety in Greece.
BERLIN – The Summer Olympic Games are in full swing in Rio. Every time the world’s top athletes gather for the Games, people everywhere have the opportunity not just to root for their countries, but also to become engrossed by stories of sacrifice and success, of broken bones and broken records. Beyond the incredible feats of athleticism are powerful triumphs of the spirit, like that of the Syrian refugee swimmer Yusra Mardini, who less than a year ago jumped into the Mediterranean to help push her broken-down dinghy, containing 19 other refugees, to safety in Greece.