In addition these were only some of the victims of the communist governing. These states wanted to prove that communism was greater and to achieve this in sporting context they aimed for optimum glory. Communist governments funded thousands of sporting activities from youth to promote an environment in which the best athletes were reared. However instead of promoting sprints (running) they opted for gold in categories which the U.S.A had little or no interest in. Whilst the USA went for gold in the athletics aspect of the Olympics, the East Germans athletes concentrated on gymnastics and swimming etc. Initially it was these sports as they knew they were inferior in the other sector and wanted to win gold so these were the ideal to concentrate on.
However this was not the problem, with increased funding being put into sports the Germans wanted to see improvements in the context of medals. They even set up schools in which the best athletes would go and educate. Although was happening, there was also strong evidence which suggested these young athletes were also introduced to institutional deviance. Females were injected with testosterone and also were told to get pregnant and have an abortion, as this would stimulate protein production within the body. In the 1972 Munich Olympics the East German women did not secure a single gold in swimming. Even more staggering is the fact that in 80 years of Olympic history, only one German woman had ever won gold in swimming. However in the Montreal games of 1976, the women’s swimming team from East Germany, suddenly dominated. At the poolside they came looking slightly more muscular and more masculine than their opponents. When asked why the girls had such deep voices, the East German coach yelled 'we have come to swim, not sing.' The East German women won all but two gold medals on offer and they won them easily. It is not fair just to claim the Germans defied Olympic law’s but other countries were found o have the same or similar institutions and have tried to show success by diversifying in to different aspects of the Olympics such as the Cuban’s with there boxers and the Chinese with there elite badminton and table tennis stars.
The ping pong diplomacy was used to bring to nations together using sport as there medium. The USA and China had lost relations since 1949, when china became a communist state. The USA was reluctant to continue its affairs with china since it’s strongly believed in capitalism. In 1958 an unusual decision by the Peoples Republic of China, they withdrew from the Olympic Movement and it wasn't until 1971 that the IOC reinstated them. This was also the same year in which china invited the USA’s table tennis team to play in a tournament. It was recalled by some as ‘the ping heard around the world’. After the tournament had been played the relations were again established.
Boycotting and banning has also been a major concern for the Olympic Games as the purpose of the games was to bring the world as one. However there have been many boycotts for political reasons. The USA did not attend the Moscow games as they felt the USSR was unreasonable in invading Afghanistan. The same occurred during the 1984 games when the USSR team failed to attend. Boycotts continued in 1988 at the Seoul Games when North Korea, Cuba, Ethiopia and Nicaragua did not participate.
South Africa was banned from the Olympic the year beginning 1960 due to the apartheid system its government was running. The system ensured that whites would be first to receive anything and blacks were treated as the substandard race. Previously, 1934, South Africa also failed to receive the commonwealth games as a result of the inhumane cruelty being instilled by there government. The country discriminated against the coloured athletes even thought previously it had been proved that they were not inferior (Jesse Owens). It is now known that before 1991(apartheid abolished) 90% of sponsorship went into white sport. This ban was even instilled in 1968 even when the SANOC (South African Olympic Committee) decided to send a multiracial team. This ban was not only upheld by the IOC but most of the world was reluctant to trade with the country.
I feel since the commercialisation and growing importance of sports that politics will inevitable be inserted into any sporting event. I also feel that athletes to have acknowledge that this is a world stage and they can take a stand for justice. In 1968 (México) two black Olympiads (John Carlos and Tommy Smith) saluted ‘black power’ signal for the injustice there race was receiving in the USA. This may not have helped there cause but they showed there people that they cared. However there stand was not well received by the IOC as they always insisted on a politically free environment.
Furthermore I feel politics and sport do sometimes bring the best of a situation such as the ping pong diplomacy. As this brought together two nations and China back into the Olympics. This has proven a brave and wise decision, as there players get to compete on a world stage, which they seem to be exceeding on. Hopefully there success will generate interest in the sport within the youth.
In addition, I also feel that the banning of nations such as South Africa may loose out in sporting terms because a nation is not competing. However this nation was not picking there best athletes by ability but by colour. Sporting tradition and the Olympics stand for the good and rights of everyone and therefore I feel the ban was appropriate in helping change the Governments decisions. It also promote more coloured athletes to try as they now have a equal chance for selection, this will hopefully improve the standards and level of competition.
However, the defiant ways of the Germans have given them a label as ‘cheats’ and caused serious illness in athletes. It is estimated nearly 10% (10000) doped athletes face serious illness. This reputation could hinder the process of gaining future stars as they do not stand for there previous government did.
Overall I feel that the statement I not fully justified as political influences have to be taken into account when staging a world games. Politics brings about positives such as the ping pong diplomacy brought new competitors and strengthened the sport. It also gave black athletes in South Africa the opportunity to compete. However it has also discouraged many potential athlete such as those in Germany by it Olympic committee’s previous actions. I feel there need to be a balance between politics and sports, I feel if this is achieved then it will increase the number of young athletes rather then decrease. Therefore I do not fully agree nor disagree with the statement but feel that there needs to be an equilibrium.
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Bibliography
www.olympics.org
www.cnn.com
www.bbc.co.uk
PE for Edexcel
Advance Physical education & sport