The Olympics and Race.

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Ben Chouhan

The Olympics and Race

Olympic ideal that you should be able to compete irrespective of race, colour or creed. The fact that this does not happen is more to do with values of the world rather than the IOC.

Factors Restricting Racial Groups

Dominant Culture

Usually the dominant social group in a society controls access to activities

E.g. Middle classes in Victorian England

Majority culture controls the minority ethnic group.

Self imposed cultural constraints

Sometimes restraints self imposed (or at least by members of a group)

E.g. Moroccan women exclude themselves.

Economic/ topographical limitations

Some social groups cannot afford to access activities e.g. equestrian events

Others do not have access to facilities e.g. bob sleigh in Africa!!

Task - insert figure 1.63 p65 here.

IOC Commissions

Olympic Solidarity Programmes and various IOC commissions are responsible for a programme of education and provision.

93% of TV rights money is spent on these programmes

Task- list the IOC commissions below

Stacking and Centrality

WASP- White Anglo Saxon Protestant – the main cultural group in Britain US and Europe. Has had the predominant impact on the Olympic movement.

The values of WASP are therefore perpetuated by the IOC. They decide who is and who is not.

Amateurs tended to be WASP- therefore had a racist effect.

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Centrality- based on the need to maintain a power base that would not be diluted by cultural difusion. 

TO KEEP CENTRAL CONTROL AND REMAIN THE MOST IMPORTANT 

STACKING- E.G WASPS –WESTERN EUROPEANS – BLACKS/ ASIANS- MUSLIMS – EASTERN EUROPEANS - WELSH 

Is the IOC cosmopolitan?

  • Has 115 delegates from a range of countries
  • But could be viewed as a self perpetuating club.

In order to perpetuate your own values a group often excluded those of dissimilar background. This is YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW SPORT REFLECTS SOCIETY.

Sporting scholarships, ...

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