China lets politics trump Olympic spirit

Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good examples and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.

The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. If one were to ask the Olympics committee and individuals involved why the games are held, they would give varying answers but all would align to morality, human spirit, human dignity and sportsmanship. However, if one were to apply this to the 2022 Beijing Olympics it becomes hard to gauge and understand how the host city and its government imbue these characteristics, as the Tibetans rightly wonder. These games are a pinnacle of the sporting world and witnesses true inspirational human story but it is of no surprise that modern-day economics has impacted the ethos of these games and it's even not a surprise to see the International Olympic Committee (IOC) supporting the propaganda narratives spewed by Beijing for their own mere financial benefit forgoing their humane ideals.

The Beijing 2022 is in line with the larger sport diplomacy that Beijing is pursuing these days. During the 2021 Copa America Football tournament, Beijing sent 50,000 doses of Sinovac (Chinese made Covid vaccines) to gain goodwill and goodwill it gained for sure. Those were the days when the world was looking hard at Wuhan. Coming to the Winter Olympics now, the game that Beijing plays is increasingly getting evident. Sending a thrashed Galwan PLA commando to be the torchbearer has already boomeranged on it.

Does any country court an unnecessary controversy during the Olympics? Well, that is China for us. The host of these Olympics is also battling its excess baggage of atrocities against Tibetans, Uighurs, Taiwanese, Inner Mongolians, Hongkongers etc? We can even add Baloch and the Kashmiris in Pak Occupied Kashmir who are reeling under the military boots of the PLA. Why is there a comparison between this Winter Olympics and the 1936 Olympics in Berlin (Summer)? Most likely since Hitler had not shown his true intention then (1939 he started the Second World War) and many nations of the free world envisioned Germany to take forth and imbue the Olympic spirit. The world was a bit naive in 1936.

But, now in these modern days, should it be so? So, what if a few countries boycott the games now? India has also done its bit by announcing its abstaining from the ceremonial parade. But, will all this lead to greater focus on the wrongs of China on its own people and also on other countries that it has already occupied or is planning to occupy? These games do not promote sportsmanship or equality and friendship. These only help silence critics of China over its excesses. Human dignity, liberty and freedom are alien to the Chinese concepts.