GROUP 2

The thought behind the Modern Olympic Games, as conceived by Baron de Coubertin, was that they should be held in a "pristine atmosphere, untouched and untroubled by politics, anti-Semitism, racism, fascism ill-will to others, no discrimination of any kind, no rivalries, and where all sportsmen are equal." (Adapted from the Olympic Charter). It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? That was almost true of the 1st Modern Olympic Games in 1896, but even the Baron contradicted himself by forbidding women to participate in those Games! This quote has remained a myth, flaunted by sportsmen, Olympic committees and countries alike at every opportunity. For something so noble as the Olympic Games it is sad to realize that the opposite is true.

Of the many contradictions and hypocrisies that exist in the noble Olympic Games we will examine three special cases of the Game's history. 1) anti-Semitism. 2) Racism, and 3) Terrorism.

Racism

The Olympic charter stated that sport will be played without discrimination of any kind regardless of color and creed of person. In these same 1936 Games Hitler set out to prove that his German Aryan athletes were a superior race better than everyone else. He illegally paid and trained his army of sportsmen. Germany won 89 medals, 33 gold while the runner-up U.S. won only 56, with 24 gold. His success was almost complete, except for one thing, Germany lost the most important event, the track and field, to 4 Americans, to the complete disappointment and disgust of Hitler and Aryan Germany! These 4 athletes were black!
The most famous of these 4 African Americans was Jesse Owens, one of the greatest track and field athletes of all times. He came to the Games holding 2 world records, one in the running broad jump and the 100m dash. He won them again in the Games and also won the 200m and was a member of the winning U.S. relay team. In all 4 events, Owens either equaled the existing Olympic record or broke world records! He went home with 4 gold medals. His 3 other African Americans team mates also won Olympic medals. But Hitler refused to recognize the achievements of Owens and his "black auxiliaries" as he called them. Hitler walked out of the stadium when the time came to congratulate and present them with their well won medals. He did not want to shake hands with black people who he considered inferior to his Aryan race.
The 1960's saw the human rights issues finally catch up with the Olympic Games. South Africa had a policy of separation-called "Apartheid"-between the white and black population. Similar to the policies of Germany during the '30's and '40's, blacks were considered third class citizens and were segregated from all social and political activities in that country. White only teams finally offended the I.O.C. to the extent that in 1959 they accused South Africa of violating Olympic principles. The South Africans replied that the blacks were not of Olympic caliber. A very weak excuse, don't you think? It took the I.O.C. five more years before ruling that they could no longer compete in the Olympic Games, beginning with Tokyo in 1964.
In another case of racism in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, 2 African American sprinters, Tommy Smith and John Carlos raised a black-gloved fist while on the victory stand to protest U.S. racial policies, causing acts of hooliganism and fighting among the Americans in the stadium. Both athletes were expelled from the Games, their visas revoked, and they were sent home like criminals. Carlos claimed that "Ours was not a political act; it was a moral act-and that's all right." U.S. boxer George Foreman protested the Smith-Carlos protest by stalking around the ring waving a small American flag after beating a Soviet. Foreman was not sent home in disgrace like his two compatriots. A true case of racism by the I.O.C.

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