political exploitation of the modern olympic games Flashcards
Berlin 1936
•hitler used the games as a Nazi propaganda show, to demonstrate the strength of the Nazi party & Arian race.
•first televised games
•german athletes trained full time
•however, african american athletes won 13 medals
Mexico city 1968
•American 200m athletes did the Black Power demonstration, using the
Olympics to raise awareness of discrimination and racial inequality.
•resulted in them being suspended from the games.
Munich 1972
to force Israel to release Palestinian political prisoners, members of the ‘Black September’ Palestinian terrorist group broke into Israeli athletes’ rooms, killed 2 and held 9 hostage for 24 hours. Following a failed rescue attempt by German authorities,
Moscow 1980
The boycott, led by the USA, was an attempt to reverse the Soviet Union, the host country’s, military invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. More than 60 invited nations did not take part in the 1980 Olympics.
Los angeles 1984
The USSR’s absence was fear over lack of security by the hosts. But possibly the real reason was retaliation over the USA’s boycott 4 years previous.
background of Olympic Games
Re-establishing the Olympic Games was the French aristocrat, Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s idea.
He was influenced by:
1. the Ancient Olympic Games
2. the ethos of amateur sport evident in British Public Schools
3. the Much Wenlock Olympian Games (these were influenced by the much earlier Dover’s Games - Cotswold Olimpicks)
The early philosophy of the modern Olympiad which was to bring different countries together in healthy sporting competition devoid of any politics, in which the taking part was more important than winning.
aims of the Olympic
1.Reduced discrimination and develop equality
2.Unite or the bringing together athletes of the world in a four yearly sports festival develop friendship and spread goodwill
3.Develop respect
4. Teach fair play and sportsmanship
5. Develop peace and harmony
6.Educate young people through sport to build a more peaceful world
I.O.C. (International Olympic Committee
1.Founded 1894
2. Oversee the organisation of the Olympics i.e. rules, event timetable, etc.
3. Selects host city
4. Owns the rights to the Olympic symbol and the games itself
5. Manages commercialisation of the games
B.O.A. (British Olympic Association)
1.Responsible for the participation of Team GB in the Olympic Games
2. UK’s link with the IOC.
3. Responsibility for developing the Olympic Movement and values throughout the UK
4. Selects Team GB
5. Works closely with UK Sport and delivers support services to Britain’s Olympic athletes and their National Governing Bodies (e.g. preparation camps for major Games)
6. Allocate sponsors to athletes
the olympic values
•Friendship
•Excellence
•Respect
the Paralympic values
•Courage
•Inspiration
•Determination
•Equality
TOP Programme (The Olympic Partner)
TOP is the highest level of Olympic sponsorship, granting category-exclusive marketing rights to the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympic Games to a select group of global partners.
