Tokyo Olympics

[Ilunga]

On 2/2/2022 at 4:21 PM, UnkNuk said:

Well, since this thread has jumped to our attention - maybe someone with a bit of initiative should start a 2022 Olympics thread?

I think we should boycott the Beijing winter Olympics.

 

As a person who dedicated 20 years of his life to skiing, I even lived in the back of my station wagon for 5 seasons at Mt.Hotham skiing every day.

As much as I love any sport that is snow/ice orientated, I believe some things are more important, in this case social justice issues, human rights abuses.

 

These are probably the second most politicised games in history, the 1936 Berlin games being the most, for absolutely the wrong reasons.

A repressive regime trying to whitewash it's crimes against humanity and its own population.

[UnkNuk]

23 hours ago, Ilunga said:

I think we should boycott the Beijing winter Olympics.

 

As a person who dedicated 20 years of his life to skiing, I even lived in the back of my station wagon for 5 seasons at Mt.Hotham skiing every day.

As much as I love any sport that is snow/ice orientated, I believe some things are more important, in this case social justice issues, human rights abuses.

 

These are probably the second most politicised games in history, the 1936 Berlin games being the most, for absolutely the wrong reasons.

A repressive regime trying to whitewash it's crimes against humanity and its own population.

It's an interesting ethical question:  To watch the Beijing winter Olympics or not to watch the Beijing winter Olympics?

 

If you watch some short track speed skating, are you condoning the CCP's treatment of the Uighurs?

 

If you watch the Canadian women play a hockey game, are you supporting China's possible take-over of Taiwan?

 

I dunno.  

 

Had the Canadian government refused to allow Canadian athletes to go to the Olympics, I think the case would be stronger for boycotting them.  But that the government is simply not sending some government officials over to watch the Olympics - meh.  So what are we doing - sending our athletes there to compete but telling ourselves not to watch them?  Seems kind of contradictory.

 

One other general thing, I don't like the way politics seems to be seeping into everything nowadays.  While I'm interested in politics, I like to take a break from all the political stuff.   The fact that we can't even watch some entertaining sports nowadays without having a political shade thrown over them is a real buzz-kill.

 

But it's an interesting question and I hope others here will chime in with their opinions.

[Ilunga]

31 minutes ago, UnkNuk said:

It's an interesting ethical question:  To watch the Beijing winter Olympics or not to watch the Beijing winter Olympics?

 

If you watch some short track speed skating, are you condoning the CCP's treatment of the Uighurs?

 

If you watch the Canadian women play a hockey game, are you supporting China's possible take-over of Taiwan?

 

I dunno.  

 

Had the Canadian government refused to allow Canadian athletes to go to the Olympics, I think the case would be stronger for boycotting them.  But that the government is simply not sending some government officials over to watch the Olympics - meh.  So what are we doing - sending our athletes there to compete but telling ourselves not to watch them?  Seems kind of contradictory.

 

One other general thing, I don't like the way politics seems to be seeping into everything nowadays.  While I'm interested in politics, I like to take a break from all the political stuff.   The fact that we can't even watch some entertaining sports nowadays without having a political shade thrown over them is a real buzz-kill.

 

But it's an interesting question and I hope others here will chime in with their opinions.

Politics having an impact on sport and in particular the Olympic Games is not a recent phenomena.

 

As I stated in my original post the most politicised Olympic games in history were the 1936 Berlin games.

 

Them there was the 1956 Olympic games here in Melbourne where many countries boycotted because of the Suez Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Hungary. 

 

 

Then there was the 1968 Mexico games were the government massacred 100's of demonstrating students 10 days before the games.

 

Them there was the 1972 Munich games, a group of Palestinian terrorists attacked the Olympic village, killed 2 Israeli athletes and held 9 hostage. 

 

Then there was the 1978 Montreal games where over 2 dozen mainly African countries boycotted the games due to the IOC's refusal to ban NZ.

The All Blacks had toured South Africa during the Apartheid era. 

 

The Americans boycotted the 1980 Russian Olympic games due to their invasion of Afghanistan. 

 

The Russians retailed in 1984 and boycotted the LA games.

 

People have short memories.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Ilunga

[NewbieCanuckFan]

7 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

Politics having an impact on sport and in particular the Olympic Games is not a recent phenomena.

 

As I stated in my original post the most politicised Olympic games in history were the 1936 Berlin games.

 

Them there was the 1956 Olympic games here in Melbourne where many countries boycotted because of the Suez Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Hungary. 

 

 

Then there was the 1968 Mexico games were the government massacred 100's of demonstrating students 10 days before the games.

 

Them there was the 1972 Munich games, a group of Palestinian terrorists attacked the Olympic village, killed 2 Israeli athletes and held 9 hostage. 

 

Then there was the 1978 Montreal games where over 2 dozen mainly African countries boycotted the games due to the IOC's refusal to ban NZ.

The All Blacks had toured South Africa during the Apartheid era. 

 

The Americans boycotted the 1980 Russian Olympic games due to their invasion of Afghanistan. 

 

The Russians retailed in 1984 and boycotted the LA games.

 

People have short memories.

Not the Olympics but the World Cup, here is a video of how a North Korean team the hearts of a number people in England from the style of play during the middle of the Cold War:

 

 

Probably helped the English being in a good mood as that was also the year the only time they won the World Cup.

 

No politics, just a plucky team giving their all.

[Ilunga]

32 minutes ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

Not the Olympics but the World Cup, here is a video of how a North Korean team the hearts of a number people in England from the style of play during the middle of the Cold War:

 

 

Probably helped the English being in a good mood as that was also the year the only time they won the World Cup.

 

No politics, just a plucky team giving their all.

Thanks for posting

 

Beating the Azzuri to qualify for the next round of the world cup.

 

Good on em.

[UnkNuk]

15 hours ago, Ilunga said:

Politics having an impact on sport and in particular the Olympic Games is not a recent phenomena.

 

As I stated in my original post the most politicised Olympic games in history were the 1936 Berlin games.

 

Them there was the 1956 Olympic games here in Melbourne where many countries boycotted because of the Suez Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Hungary. 

 

 

Then there was the 1968 Mexico games were the government massacred 100's of demonstrating students 10 days before the games.

 

Them there was the 1972 Munich games, a group of Palestinian terrorists attacked the Olympic village, killed 2 Israeli athletes and held 9 hostage. 

 

Then there was the 1978 Montreal games where over 2 dozen mainly African countries boycotted the games due to the IOC's refusal to ban NZ.

The All Blacks had toured South Africa during the Apartheid era. 

 

The Americans boycotted the 1980 Russian Olympic games due to their invasion of Afghanistan. 

 

The Russians retailed in 1984 and boycotted the LA games.

 

People have short memories.

But in those cases we're talking about *countries* boycotting the games.  That's not what's happening here.

 

As I mentioned, if the Canadian government had decided to boycott the games and refused to send any athletes then I would understand the idea of not watching the Olympics.  But that's not what happened.  We are sending our athletes.   And it doesn't make much sense to me to say:  We'll send our athletes but we're not going to watch them.

[Ilunga]

2 hours ago, UnkNuk said:

But in those cases we're talking about *countries* boycotting the games.  That's not what's happening here.

 

As I mentioned, if the Canadian government had decided to boycott the games and refused to send any athletes then I would understand the idea of not watching the Olympics.  But that's not what happened.  We are sending our athletes.   And it doesn't make much sense to me to say:  We'll send our athletes but we're not going to watch them.

This reply was addressing your statement 

" The fact we can't even watch some entertaining sports now days without have a political shade thrown over time is a real buzz kill". 

 

As I have pointed out politics and sport have always been intertwined and always will be.

 

This article sums up these games and the previous Winter Games in Sochi that caused Russia to be farcically banned from Olympic competition.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/beijing-2022-blind-eyes-come-cheap-at-the-ioc-213329162.html

 

 

 

I have and never will tell anyone what to do.

If one wants to watch these games that's their personal choice.

 

[Phil_314]

Watching the Canadian women light up the Swiss and Finns for 23 goals combined, I wonder how competitive they would be if they played in the men's tournament this year (I think they can at least beat weaker teams like the host Chinese).

[UnkNuk]

58 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

This reply was addressing your statement 

" The fact we can't even watch some entertaining sports now days without have a political shade thrown over time is a real buzz kill". 

 

As I have pointed out politics and sport have always been intertwined and always will be.

 

 

 

Ah!  Okay.  I was concentrating on the ethics question.

 

Yes, you're right - the Olympics have had a history of being intertwined with politics.