The Paris Olympics that just concluded was notable for several reasons. First, it was back to normalcy after the COVID-stricken Tokyo Olympics, which was held in front of empty stands. The vast crowds in Paris put the memory of the pandemic in the distant past. Secondly, Russia was absent from the competition amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Ukrainian athletes, however, were present and picked up 12 medals — bizarre but also a reflection of modern-day warfare in which a country can be at war, yet life goes on in many other ways. Thirdly, the final medal tally had the U.S. and China on top of the standings, hinting at the tussle that flows beyond sports. We are reminded of the Cold War era between the U.S. and Russia and the Moscow Olympics when the U.S. boycotted. These examples demonstrate that sports achievements correlate highly with economic and political standings.

Once upon a time the Olympic Games were revered for their equality and global reach extending to all countries of varying economic conditions. But, like so many things, the commercial reality has caught on, with most Olympic athletes' incomes at least partially funded by their governments or the private sector. Some countries focus on winning as many medals as possible to symbolize their ascendency, as Russia and China have done. For those countries, the Olympics is highly........

© The Korea Times