(Οn the occasion of the Olympic Games 2012 in London)
The Olympic Games have the unique
ability to create a powerful stage for the promotion of international human
rights.
In order to understand the role
human rights play in current Olympic planning, we have to draw a distinction
between the role of human rights in developed and developing nations.
Furthermore, international
sporting events provide a platform for nationalistic competition without
political consequences. In addition, the Olympics are viewed by millions of
people, making it one of the most successful international sporting events in
history. Therefore, the Games have the ability to promote international human
rights but the question is if all has the same desire; Thus, the Games have a
history of successes and failures associated with the promotion of human
rights.
The history of human rights and
the Olympic Games is complex and ever changing. Human rights are universally
valid and an international sporting event such as the Olympics must recognize
their position within the international community and responsibility in
enforcing the ideals of human rights onto participatory nations. Nevertheless,
sometimes the Olympics have been viewed as a political farce, with the constant
threats of boycotts and the need for sanctions.
The historical analysis highlights the ability to promote human rights
with the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa
and the democratization of South Korea,
while the Games have had the tendency to demote the values of Olympism and the
value of international human rights as seen at the Berlin,
Mexico, Beijing and partly at the 2000 Sydney Games.
These Games were marred with the
human rights abuses of the host countries that the IOC conveniently overlooked,
aiding in devaluing the notion of international human rights.
Sport has an unparalleled ability
to promote development and the Olympics have the ability to generate great
economic activity in host nations.
The Seoul and Beijing Games provide starkly
different accounts of the ability of the Games to affect developing nations; The
stronger the position of power within the international community, the greater
the ability of a host nation to utilize the Olympics for their own purpose.
Therefore, while the Seoul Games were able to help bring about democratization
and an increased respect for human rights, the Beijing Games failed at bringing
about changes to domestic policy concerning the adherence to international
human rights. It follows that the less power a country has in the international
community the greater chance the Olympics have in bringing about changes to
domestic policies concerning human rights.
However, the international
prestige associated with hosting the Games does not come cheap; therefore, many
developing countries are unlikely to host the Olympics in the future. It is in
those countries where human rights abuses are commonplace that benefits from
hosting the Olympics range the highest. For example, if Sudan were to host the
Games there would need to be great changes in domestic policies, the stabilization
of domestic politics and the end to the horrible genocide in Darfur. The
Olympics does have the ability to promote change in countries that desperately
need it, unfortunately economic interests drive Olympic organizers.
The role of human rights involved
in the Olympic Games of developed countries is greatly different than
developing countries. Developed countries attempt to gloss over any past human
rights abuses. The Sydney Games promoted the cultural image of Aboriginality,
without real inclusion of the Aboriginal community in the planning process,
tarnishing the cultural legacy of their Games.
However, the role of human rights and the
Olympics will change depending on the host nation. We are likely to see a
continued emphasis of the importance of human rights in Olympic planning;
however, the Olympics will never fill its full potential in promoting the
ideals of human rights and Olympism until the underlying economic values of the
Games are diminished and the international community places greater emphasis on
the promotion of international human rights.
Resources:
Cassandra Schwarz
CALGARY,
ALBERTA, APRIL, 2009
