Quote:
Originally Posted by chan13y  ... the Olympics, which is an apolitical sporting event to showcase athletic talent of the highest order. |
It hasn't been that for a long, long time. Giving the Olympics to China was a political decision by the IOC, even though it knew China would not clean up its human rights 'problems' as it (IOC) said it (China) would. Big business has made it into an advertising bonanza with overt displays of corporate greed (ask anyone who has joined a corporate package to the Olympics). The athletes are paid big bucks and any medals won are vehicles to financially rewarding endorsements. Don't get me started on the media; at the Sydney Games, the members of the press corps outnumbered the athletes.
The Olympics is an ugly 'grab fest'.
Of course, it does seem to raise awareness among many men of the 'athletic virtues' of at least one sport played by women... beach volleyball.
