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A Herculean Dilemma

Thomas Bach is, I believe, a virtuous man, but he’s learning that it doesn’t pay to be too pious when running an international sport. As President of the International Olympic Committee () he faces a Herculean dilemma. He recently entertained the possibility that, in spite of widespread bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes across the spectrum of sports, he may allow competitors from those countries to appear at next year’s Olympics, in Paris. Even airing the prospect has forced him into a tight spot: “We [IOC] have been by the Russian side of being agents of the US, and we have been accused by the Ukrainian side of being promoters of war,” he despairs.

Like any right minded head of a global sporting organization, Bach is prioritizing the interests of sport over geopolitics—though he must be painfully aware that the two are inseparable. He should, in my opinion, be praised for designating human athletes as of paramount importance and creating the conditions under which over 400 highly trained, motivated and committed individuals are given the chance to compete. (At the Covid-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Belarusian team was 96-strong. 335 Russian athletes were obliged to compete under the rubric “Russia Olympic Committee” due to doping violations.) Chances are he will leave no stone unturned in his effort to incorporate Russian and Belarussian in the games, under a neutral flag or no flag at all. .

But Ukraine is understandably angry at Bach’s softening position on Russian and Belarusian athletes and threatens to the Paris Olympics, complicating Bach’s situation and raising doubts about the impartiality of the IOC and its ability to make a decision that will satisfy all parties. Countries that align or support Ukraine will feel the pressure to express their solidarity. The USA and Canada would be—perhaps already have been—encouraged to join a boycott. Several, if not all, western European nations would feature, as well Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In addition to NATO countries, both Australia and New Zealand have condemned Russia and provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. There are 206 National Olympic Committees affiliated with the IOC and it’s conceivable that an Olympic boycott could include over 30 nations. Individual athletes may be free to compete as neutrals (i.e. not representative of their countries).

Quite apart from the removal of some of the most powerful nations in sport, the IOC would almost certainly face the wrath of broadcasters, several of which will refuse to screen the tournament if their home nation is not involved. The most important of these is, which in 2014, acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to the Olympic Games from 2022 through 2032 for a total cost of $7.75 billion. This agreement includes the broadcast rights to next year’s games, as well as the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Sports Boycotts in History

Sports boycotts are not uncommon. Over 60 countries, including the USA, China and the then West Germany  refused to participate in the 1980 summer Olympics in Moscow in protest at the Soviet Union’s incursions in Afghanistan. The boycott didn’t lead to an immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, though its proponents argued that it heightened international attention and put pressure on the Soviet government. In retaliation, the Soviet Union led a boycott of the next Olympics, held in Los Angeles. Cuba, North Korea and East Germany (as it was) joined the Soviets, though only 13 nations in total abstained. The retaliatory boycott served to present the USA with a showcase for its athletic talent and American competitors dominated the tournament.

The boycott of South Africa during apartheid, beginning in the 1960s, is usually offered as an example of how politically effective boycotts can be. The argument is that the boycott helped to isolate South Africa and increase international pressure on the apartheid government to end discriminatory policies. The boycotts are widely credited with playing a significant role in bringing about the end of apartheid in the early 1990s. It’s an appealing justification,  but there is no evidence that the boycott had any tangible effect: Its impact was largely symbolic. (The South Africa boycott was not maintained by all. For example, New Zealand’s rugby team continued to play South Africa, as did the Australian cricket team. Several other countries, including England, Ireland and Italy, sent teams to South Africa.)

Workable Solution?

Bach can gauge the pushback to the admittance of Russians and Belarusians from the reaction to the recent decision of the International Fencing Federation () to allow fencers from Russia and Belarus to return to international competitions. Over 300 fencers, including 9 medalists from the last Olympics in Tokyo, signed insisting that the FIE and the IOC should not allow Russian and Belarusian fencers to compete while the Ukraine conflict persists. Olga Kharlan, the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist, was especially forceful: “I want to perform at the Olympics. But as a citizen of Ukraine, I can’t even imagine how to stand next to representatives of the Russian Federation.”

Wimbledon will also be of interest. The tournament has reversed its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, who may now compete as neutrals in the tennis tournament. The WTA and ATP organizations, which run the women’s and men’s professional tours and which calculates the rankings to determine qualification for the Olympics, described the Wimbledon decision as “a which protects the fairness of the game.”

The position of Russia in football is unclear: It retains its membership of UEFA, the European governing organization, despite being banned from playing. There is talk that Russia could relinquish its membership and join the Asian Football Confederation. This may encourage UEFA to review its position. Russian football brings with it lucrative broadcasting contracts.

Bach’s Crapshoot

But the Olympics is like no other sports event and Bach will need to gamble. The easy choice is to maintain the status quo though this will jar with Bach’s ideals. My guess is that Bach will opt for the crapshoot and welcome Russians and Belarusians back, but with the kind of provisos he has recently outlined (see below). Then what? Ukraine will bail out for sure. It will also urge the other  30 countries that are members of NATO to follow suit. Poland, a member of NATO since 1999 and strong supporter of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, will be first to follow, then other NATO members will be wringing their hands. 206 countries sent teams to the Tokyo Olympics, so losing the 31 NATO countries would be damaging but perhaps not terminally.

What about France? A founder member of NATO, along with the USA, Canada and 9 other nations in 1949, France withdrew from NATO’s military command structure and pursued an independent defense policy in 1966. The 2024 Olympics are scheduled to take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11. The Paralympic Games will follow from August 28 to September 8, also in Paris. Unthinkable as it is, a NATO boycott would lead France into the impossible and unprecedented position of boycotting its own Olympics.

Such a perverse prospect will not be in Bach’s calculations at the moment, but it will loom larger as we approach next July. Bach has made it signally clear that, while he doesn’t favor the expulsion of Russia and Belarus, he will accept the decisions of the IOC’s member sports on whether or not to allow competitors from these countries. Ultimately though the IOC has the final say on whether a qualifying athlete can enter the Olympics and that means Bach will have to wrestle with his conscience. My guess is that he will allow Russians and Belarussians but respect bans if individual sports, like track and field, insist on exclusion (there is no chance will allow Russians or Belarusians, as Lord Coe recently made clear).

If my suspicion is right, we will witness the most controversial preamble to an Olympics in history—and I am not neglecting those politically-charged tournaments I mentioned earlier. Boycotts have a self-perpetuating quality, each withdrawal adding pressure on others to pull out.  NATO countries who have supported Ukraine will be taxed with making one of two equally unpopular decisions: ignore Ukraine’s requests or join a boycott that will be deeply unpopular among their own populations.

The by the IOC Executive Board are:

1. Athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as individual neutral athletes.
2. Teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport cannot be considered.
3. Athletes who actively support the war cannot compete. Support personnel who actively support the war cannot be entered.
4. Athletes contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot compete. Support personnel contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot be entered.
5. Any such individual neutral athlete, like all the other participating athletes, must meet all anti-doping requirements applicable to them and particularly those set out in the anti-doping rules of the international federations.
6. The sanctions against those responsible for the war, the Russian and Belarusian states and governments, must remain in place, meaning no international sports events organized or supported by an international federation or national Olympic committee in Russia or Belarus. No flag, anthem, colors or any other identifications whatsoever of these countries displayed at any sports event or meeting, including the entire venue.

[Ellis Cashmore’s latest book is.]

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

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For over 90 years, the World Cup has rivaled the summer Olympics for scope, grandeur and athletic excellence. It still does. But, from this point, it will also be an occasion for gathering forces of dissent. Many will despair at the wrangling that’s changed the character of the 2022 tournament in Qatar, while others will be excited by the way sport can force into world focus problems, affairs or just situations that might otherwise be ignored or dismissed as unworthy of international attention.

Cultural Changes

Twelve years ago, when football’s world governing organization FIFA agreed to let the sheikhdom on the coast of the Persian Gulf with a tiny population of 2,200,000 to host the tournament, the problems posed seemed logistical: weather, accommodation, timing and so on. No one could have known what was coming. The case came to the fore in 2017, and led to the subsequent surge of the MeToo movement. The comparably potent cultural movement of that grew after the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in 2020. Gender fluidity and the challenge to the traditional sexual binary., not only in sport but in every area of society. These were among the cultural shifts that changed … well, practically everything in society, including perceptions and expectations of sport.

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The days when sports governors tried strenuously to prevent political or social issues fouling the onetime pursuit of amateur gentlemen are now gone. Sport is now fully weaponized and the majority of its fans not only accept but insist that it should be used as an instrument for exposing injustices and promoting causes (I have soon-to-be-published research that provides evidence of the rise of politicized fans).

Sports has a mixed record in promoting social change. While it’s hailed as partly responsible for bringing down South African apartheid, there is no persuasive evidence that boycotting South African sport was effective in any more than a symbolic way. The memorable at the Mexico Olympics of 1968 are now iconic reminders of the fight against racism in the USA, though many neglect how athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who gestured with their gloved fists, were actually punished and demonized at the time rather than vaunted. Muhammad Ali is often regarded as champion of civil rights as much as a boxer, though, in 1964, when he dropped his name Cassius Clay and converted to the Nation of Islam he was attacked for his

Criticism of Qatar or Islam?

Some believe revealing Qatar’s exploitative treatment of migrant workers and its admonition of homosexuality will hasten a change in both. In the first instance, this is possible. In the second, unimaginable. Islam decrees that homosexuality is sinful. No Islamic country on earth, nor any Muslim, whether in the middle east, Britain, USA or anywhere else will demur. Qatar is among at least eleven other countries that considerhomosexuality a , which may be punishable by death.

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At this point, I should perhaps declare an interest: I am a white, cisgender heterosexual male, born in the UK, part-educated in Canada, having lived in Asia and the USA. In common with other sociologists, I understand the deep cultural significance of religion, but believe in the primacy of humanity, making me atheist. I am also reflexive, meaning that I don’t accept there is a neutral position from which to assess cultures: the very fact of my existence implicates me in culture and precludes objective analysis. I remain aware that I am steeped in the culture of my upbringing and mature development. So, while I’ve supported gay rights and opposed racism for my adult life and argue against others who do not, I try to resist privileging my own culture over all others. I include this detail because my interpretation of much of the recent condemnation of Qatar is that it is a disguised attack on Islam.

Close to a quarter of the world’s human population are Muslims. I find the Islamic code on homosexuality repugnant. I also acknowledge that its source is in faith and no amount of argument will change this. So, when Qatar is described by western journalists as “medieval,” it discloses a sneering, ignorant disrespect. And, when I hear western Europeans, who are not Muslims, describing their commitment to “cultural inclusiveness” or “inclusivity,” I suspect they mean excluding any party that disagrees with popular western principles, standards and values.

Intolerance is an old-fashioned word so maybe neo-intolerance is how we should describe the new form of western cultural pompousness. The affectedly — and usually self-congratulatory — manner with which west European liberals make pronouncements on practically anything that deviates from their own rules of thought and conduct is sure to be challenged. Possibly by the time of the next World Cup.

Politics and the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will be shared by three hosts all from the same land mass and all predominantly Christian: Canada, USA and Mexico. Not all countries are equally worthy of opprobrium, of course. The USA will bear the heaviest burden, with laws on the possession of firearms framed in the nineteenth century (far from medieval) and laws on abortion that were reformed in 1973, but which may by the time of the World Cup, be retroceded to the 1820s. Mexico decriminalized abortion only last year. As for Canada, that perennially inoffensive territory in the north, consider: last year, Pope Francispublicly for the 150,000 indigenous children who were separated from their families and taken to residential Catholic schools where they were beaten, starved and sexually abused, between 1881-1996. This will be one of a number of concerns regarding indigenous people that will surface when the World Cup arrives. 

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Once more, there will be sanctimonious critics offering their insight, resonance and misplaced sense of superiority. There will also be earnest interrogation that will lead to useful and possibly productive developments. Qatar is not going to abandon Islam, but its citizens live on planet earth, eat, work, catch buses and do many of the same things as the rest of the world. That includes examining their lives from time to time — as we all do. They have been made forcibly and, I am guessing, uncomfortably aware of what many others regard as their shortcomings and may choose to revise them accordingly in future. 

What is football for?

Football is ridiculous, isn’t it? Eleven grown men kicking a ball in one direction while another eleven grown men try to stop them and move the ball the other way. Can you think of anything more trivial and purposeless? The attention granted the World Cup might lead a friendly alien to assume the tournament takes us closer to world peace, or finding a cure for cancer, or maybe saving the planet from self-destruction. It does none of these things. But this sporting wasteland may yet produce some good: if, as I expect, World Cups from this point become cultural tinderboxes, then they might cease to be trivial and conjure larger, more meaningful campaigns that will bring genuine benefits.

Those who wish football and other sports to ablute themselves of politics will rue the day FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to what was once a British protectorate where they speak Arabic and which got rich through its oil. But the sustained fury the decision has engendered may yet be the greatest blessing, not to football, but to the world.

Ellis Cashmore’s latest book is “.”

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

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The choice is straightforward. Boycotting the Games in Beijing offers a rare, peaceful and relatively painless opportunity to send an unmistakable signal of disapproval to the Chinese elite, the people and the world at large.

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In 1979, the city of Philadelphia entered a sister city relationship with Tianjin, China. Things have changed since those heady days for US-China relations, when every concession was offered to induce a weak, isolated and impoverished China to join the community of nations that abide by the rules of international law, trade and commerce. At the time, the hope was that China would introduce reforms and liberalize its economy and polity.

This turned out to be wishful thinking. Rulers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have shown time and again that their main interest is strengthening their rule, revising the international order in their favor, suppression at home and aggression abroad.

Sounding the Alarm

Finally paying heed to the mounting evidence of an aggressive China bent on global dominance, the US administrations led by Donald Trump and Joe Biden labeled China the number-one national security . 

China’s actions and ambitions alarm and unite an otherwise deeply polarized US Congress. Growing numbers of China’s neighbors and other countries around the world are joining hands to reduce Beijing’s malign influence on international institutions before it is too late. As Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,  in March, “The Chinese Communist Party presents an unprecedented threat to not only U.S. values and interests, but also to the free and open international system characterized by individual freedom and the rule of law — something the United States has carefully built over seven decades.”

So, it is interesting that on October 27, a hundred days before the start of the Winter Olympics in February, China’s consul general in New York, Huang Ping, took out a full-page ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer (“Together for a Shared Future”) and the deputy consul general, Qian Jin, wrote a letter to the editor (“Meet in Beijing for 2022 Winter Olympics”). It is a safe bet that other major American news outlets also received similar appeals to boost awareness and attendance at the upcoming Games.

From 1936 to 2022

China’s anxiety to host a successful Winter Olympics is understandable. Consider the 1936 Summer Olympics, which was awarded to Germany in 1931, two years before Adolf Hitler rose to power. Predictably, Nazi Germany used the Games for propaganda purposes, promoting an image of a new, strong, united Germany while masking the regime’s policies of racial supremacy, anti-Semitism and growing militarism.

Eager to impress, Hitler built a new 100,000-seater, track-and-field stadium and six gymnasiums. In the tense, politically charged atmosphere of 1936, the International Olympic Committee, fearing a mass boycott, pressed the German government and received assurances that qualified Jewish athletes could participate and that the Games would not be used to promote Nazi ideology. (These assurances, of course, were largely ignored.) The boycott movement narrowly failed, handing Hitler his propaganda coup and legitimizing his regime domestically and internationally, with 49 nations participating.

China would like to enjoy similar success, hoping that the world will focus on the shiny object (12 new competition venues) and ignore the brutality of the CCP’s single-party rule. But objections are being raised.

On July 27, the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China held a  on corporate sponsorship of the Games, questioning representatives from Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Intel, Visa and Procter & Gamble. Senator Jeff Merkley, the commission’s chair, said, “Holding the 2022 Winter Olympics in China and allowing its authoritarian government to reap the rewards in its prestige and propaganda of hosting this globally-beloved event does not uphold the Olympic spirit.” Merkley is right.  

China Will Not Cooperate

Still, some argue that engagement with China is the best path forward and that we need Beijing’s cooperation on issues of mutual interest, such as pandemic control and climate change. The folly of this view is exposed by China’s stonewalling of an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19; Beijing refuses to provide samples, records, and personnel. Hopes of figuring out how to prevent future, potentially even more catastrophic pandemics remain just that: hopes.

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Likewise, do not expect help on climate change from China, the world’s biggest polluter. Voicing his opposition to the US strategy of competing with China in some areas but keeping an “oasis” for climate cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi , “surrounding the oasis is a desert, and the oasis could be desertified very soon.” In other words, even on a matter as fundamental as the planet’s future, China intends to push forward with its Sinocentric worldview, no matter the consequences for humanity’s welfare.

The fact is that the CCP has used China’s immense economic, technological, military and diplomatic power not in ways that help its 1.4 billion citizens achieve political freedom or to work constructively with other countries. Beijing intends to perpetuate the CCP’s single-party rule, violate international agreements (the takeover of Hong Kong) and laws (militarization of the South China Sea), commit atrocities in Xinjiang, bully Taiwan and export to other countries its toxic surveillance-state model of controlling its own citizens.

We must not repeat the tragic mistake of 1936. We must deny the CCP the undeserved honor of hosting the Games. We must demand a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

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This week, the Olympics began in Rio de Janeiro with a spectacular ceremony as usual. This being Brazil, the games promise to be one hell of a party. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has prepared well. Apparently, the IOC has , thrice the amount it handed out in London. Some 3,000 ladies working in 70 bars are offering a “” to Olympic athletes to apparently ensure that the condoms will be used.

Apart from condoms, money has flowed into stadiums, security and spectacles. Invariably, much of it has ended up in the hands of corrupt politicians and crooked contractors. Mother Jones estimates that . This spending on the Olympics is all the more outrageous given the fact that Brazil is going through a political, economic and social crisis that is tearing the country apart.

In an earlier edition of , this author agonized over the bleak future bedeviling Brazil. Already, 19 of the 50 most violent cities in the world are in Brazil. Things promise to get uglier as the . In the first quarter, Brazil’s gross domestic product (GDP) shrunk by 5.4%. Unemployment is rising, wages are falling and prices are soaring.

To fund the Olympics, . His state relies on oil revenue, which has slumped as prices have collapsed over the last two years. Its deficits are high and its debt ratings low. The political crisis that this author analyzed in May continues like an unending soap opera, exponentially exacerbating Brazil’s economic crisis. The social contact itself is stretched to breaking point with poverty, inequality and crime skyrocketing in 2016.

So grim is the situation that some like José Ricardo Nogueira of Universidade Federal de Pernambuco have argued that Brazil’s social contract itself is an illusion. In , Nogueira examined how the Brazilian state manages to tax heavily without redistributing generously so “that even the poorest 20% of the households are, on average, net contributors to the fiscal system.” Brazil is blessed by the bounties of nature but is blighted by the avarice of its elites who have driven this land of samba into debt, destitution and desperation.

Given the circumstances, most people with a semblance of a conscience and a modicum of consciousness are understandably uneasy about the Rio Olympics. Spending so much money on a sporting spectacle simply does not seem right.

In any case, it turns out that Rio brings into focus a rather unsavory long-term trend. Bent Flyvbjerg, Allison Stewart and Alexander Budzier of the Said Business School at the University of Oxford have found that the Olympics over the past decade have cost $8.9 billion on average. Their  makes chilling reading. At 156% in real terms, “the Olympics have the highest average cost overrun of any type of megaproject.”

The authors point out that the “cost overrun and associated debt from the Athens 2004 Games weakened the Greek economy and contributed to the country’s deep financial and economic crises.” Both the Beijing and London Olympics cost an arm and a leg. However, China and the United Kingdom are rich countries that can afford rousing carousels.

In 2008, the Middle Kingdom was hell bent to prove that it had arrived as a great modern power. In 2012, the UK peddled both  for a purpose. Both are symbols of this rainy island’s cultural hegemony that  from Shanghai to San Francisco and allows the queen to love the Commonwealth that, in the memorable words of its current foreign secretary, “.”

Needless to say, Greece and Brazil cannot quite afford to act like China and the UK. Poor peasants are generally ill advised to ape the lavish manners of lords who live in castles. Besides, neither Greece nor Brazil has achieved anything by hosting the Olympics except spending money they did not have and bringing ruin upon themselves.

This brings us to a difficult issue. In modern times, what is the role of sports in general and of the Olympics in particular?

To answer that question, we have to acknowledge that humanity is hardwired to play and watch sport. Witnessing Usain Bolt run, Michael Phelps swim or Lionel Messi kick a ball can be sublime. Besides, as the ancient Greeks discovered early on, sports build character, forge teams and give valuable life lessons.

Yet sports have an ugly underbelly too. If winning is everything, defeat is disgrace. None other than Pindar, , spoke about the defeated slinking away even from their mothers “sorely wounded by their mischance.” This fixation with victory makes athletes, coaches and staff start believing that the ends justify the means. For prospects of glory and money, many make the Faustian pact with Mephistopheles. Some turn into . Others .

It is not just athletes who cheat. Many . Countries that equate national sporting success with an international projection of power institutionalize cheating. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, Russia has operated a  for four years across the “vast majority” of summer and winter Olympic sports.

Even when countries do not cheat, they end up spending insane amounts on sports. A 2008 paper estimated the . For the last 11 years, this size has kept growing. Many argue that this money is well spent. It creates a healthier society. But that might not be entirely true. Only a few people end up becoming sports professionals and the .

Sporting spectacles have warts much uglier than cheating. As pointed out earlier, the Olympics cost a ridiculous sum. Besides, they marginalize the marginalized further. Beijing is still haunted by the ghosts of the hutongs that were bulldozed to make way for a spectacular 2008 Olympics. The flipside of the Beijing extravaganza was best captured in what an old Chinese man said to Annette Langer of Der Spiegel: “.”

Brazil has emulated China dutifully. Jules Boykoff estimates that  to make way for the Olympics. , Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post points out the irony of IOC members enjoying prime seating and dining on $450 a day while those just 50 yards away live off $228 a month and cannot dream of a ticket to any Olympic event.

Jenkins goes on to write: “The extent to which the Olympic ‘movement’ has become a destructive force, driven by an officialdom whose signature is indifference, can be seen just outside the Olympic Park fences, and I mean just outside.” In the article, she poignantly captures how a multi-generational �ڲ����������was converted into an Olympic parking lot. Only 20 tiny utilitarian cottages remain for the stubborn families that refused to leave even when their homes were demolished. Delmo de Oliveira lost his home and hauntingly remarks, “The Olympics has nothing to do with our story.”

 for people like de Oliveira. Police has been gunning down suspects who tend to be young black men . For �ڲ����������residents and protesters, police violence is a feature of daily life that has got worse in the run up to the Olympics. The police have sprayed them wantonly with pepper spray and rubber bullets. History is repeating itself. Two years ago, when Brazil hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup, police killings in Rio de Janeiro state shot up by 40%.

In some ways, the Rio Olympics is a metaphor for . Television, YouTube, Facebook et al now make videos of athletes available anywhere anytime on any device. Viewers from Shanghai to San Francisco can gasp at the superhuman performances of modern-day gladiators, products of miraculous sports science if not devious doping. The IOC officials, Brazil’s elites and corporate sponsors laugh all the way to the bank, while already suffering Brazilian taxpayers foot the bill for this modern-day, multibillion-dollar circus. Of course, some Brazilians end up losing their homes and getting shot on top so that the high and mighty can safely watch gladiatorial performances, sip fine Burgundies and savor caviar.

The Olympics and the IOC have always had a dark side. Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin’s focus on allowing only amateur athletes was upper class humbug. It discriminated against poor colored athletes like the legendary Jim Thorpe. To this day, the IOC has not modified its record and fully reinstated what the Smithsonian calls “” because he played minor-league baseball in 1909-10.

Yet Coubertin was a romantic who idealized both British public schools and ancient Greece. He saw sports as a means to peace. As early as 1911, the fusty aristocrat was bemoaning “the often exaggerated expenses incurred for the most recent Olympiads.” Today, the Olympics have become a monstrosity. Without reform, they will lose their relevance.

Finally, even the sordid Rio Olympics have a silver lining. Refugees have their own time for the first time in Olympic history. The United Nations say that . This figure is . Many have survived great danger to escape. Yusra Mardini was in a dinghy in the Aegean Sea when the motor failed. Along with her sister and two others, she towed the tiny boat in chilling waters of a dangerous sea where many drown on a regular basis. , an inspirational and heartwarming story.

Like Jesse Owens in 1936 or , refugees in Rio might leave an indelible mark on the sands of time. They may not mitigate the war, conflict, persecution and desperation that are driving millions away from their homes, but they have now placed the global refugee crisis firmly in the public eye.

*[You can receive “The World This Week” directly in your inbox by subscribing to our mailing list. Simply visit  and enter your email address in the space provided. Meanwhile, please find below five of our finest articles for the week.]

Rio Olympics: Winds of Change or Tides of Turmoil?

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As many sporting fans await the start of the Olympics, it is hardly an understatement that the host country, Brazil, faces a number of economic and political challenges. Some of the many problems include an ailing economy and an uncertain political situation. Other countries have also seen their share of problems leading up to the Olympics, from the Russian team’s doping scandal to Pakistan’s dire state of its sporting facilities. Yet, as Brazil lurches from one crisis to another, it remains to be seen if the Olympics will help the country overcome its problems.

The Economist notes that Brazil enjoyed a period of economic growth of 2.2% year-on-year average from 2011 to 2014. Between 2002 and 2008, the country experienced an average GDP year-on-year growth rate of 3.5%. The article also noted that Brazil’s unemployment rate even dipped below 5% for most of 2014. This was reflected by the National…

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An independent project is increasing access to healthcare in rural India.

A good quality healthcare system and access to it by the impoverished is a widely-discussed issue, with governments across the world working toward resolving it. India, with its population of approximately 1.2 billion people, is seeing an improvement in public healthcare but, with a population set to be the largest in the world by 2028, there is still much to be done.

A nation with such a large and diverse population faces a multitude of problems, and the government simply does not have the ability to take care of everyone. Sometimes political differences between the center and the states and bureaucratic red tape cause inefficiencies at various levels. This makes the employment of independent organizations without political affiliations essential for the livelihood goals of the nation’s poor and underrepresented citizens.

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It is time to include women and marginalized groups in efforts to combat extremism.

In June, President Barack Obama joined over 1,200 promising entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from 78 countries at Stanford University for the annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) to discuss how entrepreneurship can build resilience to extremism.

Now in its seventh year, the summit works to support the development of new public-private partnerships and innovation ecosystems. At a time in which the media’s eye has been heavily focused on the rise of the Islamic State (IS) and other radical groups, its fresh-faced focus on market growth and innovative technology as a means to combat extremism is a welcome approach.

In his remarks at the summit, US Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted the tie between economic opportunity and peace building. “There is an intimate connection between the creation of economic opportunity and the potential of political stability or peace … between economic policy and foreign policy…

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Have an entrenched two-party system and an antiquated process of the electoral college skewed the meaning of universal suffrage in America?

Next November Democrats, Republicans and independents will collectively decide which of two undesirable, seriously flawed candidates will be the next president of the United States. None of these three groups is happy with the binary choice that has been offered them. July has seen the Republicans nominate a candidate who many consider not to be a true Republican. This left the Democrats free to finalize their choice of a preselected candidate who, as a pillar of the establishment, happens to appeal to mainstream Republicans.

The insurgent wave of the Democratic Party—led with stunning results throughout the primaries by Bernie Sanders—could paradoxically be better described as the old wave or even the “true Democrats.” Unlike the New Democrats of Bill Clinton in the 1990s, the Sanders insurgents’ policies are modeled on Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal…

Misguided Tax Targeting Fosters Inequality in Mexico

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Mexico has one of the worst tax systems of all industrialized countries.

Juan Armando Hinojosa Cantú, a Mexican construction contractor and business tycoon, is famous in Mexico for his alleged role in building a $7-million mansion for the first lady—best known as the president’s “White House.” But the Panama Papers have quickly made him much more famous, for a much larger sum of money. The Panama Papers, the largest cybersecurity breach in history, uncovered that after the mansion scandal, Hinojosa moved around $100 million to offshore accounts with the help from Mossack Fonseca, the Panamanian-based law firm from which the documents were leaked by an anonymous whistleblower.

As in many other countries, the Panama Papers leak has highlighted or exposed weak tax systems and government accountability in Mexico. The terabyte of information from Mossack Fonseca included 11.5 million documents with diverse mentions of offshore firms and accounts used to hide tax evasion and illicit transactions…

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As the are underway, Americans should review the role that sports play in our society and, in particular, in raising our children. While controversies surrounding large organizations such as the NCAA, FIFA and the IOC grab headlines, sports remain an important part of our culture and socialization.

Exercise through competitive sports increases health, learning and , and helps adults manage stress and children learn . As an Olympic sport, Judo offers these benefits, as well as a structure for promoting inclusion and social justice within our communities.

So what is Judo?

Judo is a grappling art that features throws, pins, chokes and elbow locks whose influence can be found in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), which have gained popularity over the past decade. While that may sound intimidating, “judo” means gentle way in Japanese and allows for fewer joint locks than its cousin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The guiding concepts of Judo are mutual benefit�����Ի���energy efficiency, which have helped expand the sport’s popularity internationally and demographically.

Personally, I have never crossed a border with my uniform, or judogi, but I have played Judo with people from Brazil, Uzbekistan, Japan, Colombia, France, Wales, Lebanon, etc. I have been thrown by rich and poor, gay and straight, 12-year-old girls and 60-year-old men, and I have learned from every fall.

Unfortunately, sports in America are increasing segregated. A majority of us experience sports within , which produce different results on the field based  than the determination of the student-athletes. Outside of public schools, youth sports have , leaving behind many who cannot afford extra spending.

Even how we watch sports is changing. Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel  that in 1965, the best seats at the baseball park were about double the cheap seats, whereas today the private box seats at an average stadium will cost several hundred times more than the cheapest, eliminating another shared experience between classes.

Judo offers a better way. On the Judo mat, all participants wear a judogi and practice in the same space. While in competition there are separate categories for gender, age, weight and experience level, in training most dojo only have capacity for a single class where all must learn to play together, aside from the occasional kids’ class.

Judo’s core values require that even the strongest or most experienced students ensure others who are smaller or newer benefit from playing, not simply attempt to overpower or outmatch their partners. This egalitarian setting allows for empowerment, discipline, self-confidence, humility and exposure to different cultures and people within the community.

My lived experience reflects these ideals. I began Judo at  in Kingston, NY, which charged students barely enough to make rent. There I had a small part in helping the instruction of special needs athletes, which has since become a specialty of the dojo. The match that earned my shodan, or first-degree black belt, was refereed by , a world-renowned force behind the inclusion of women’s Judo in the Olympics.

I continued my training at both Penn State and Syracuse Universities under Japanese and French sensei, respectively. I presently train at  in Washington, DC, where I obtained my nidan, or second-degree black belt.

At DC Judo, we count foreign nationals, visually impaired athletes, university students, lifetime district natives and service-disabled veterans among our diverse membership. We also offer a scholarship for those who show commitment to the sport but are unable to pay dues, providing stability to those with unstable personal lives, financial need or stints of unemployment.

What Judo Can Do

Of course Judo is not perfect, as some dojos may overcharge, have a pattern of injuries or suffer from an abundance of testosterone that may intimidate prospective students. However, an inclusive model of “Judo for all” exemplified by a small town dojo like Ulster Budokai and a highly urban one like DC Judo is broadly applicable and allows for every demographic to play together, share experiences and create bonds across school districts, classes, professions and identities.

Judo cannot change the world, but it can help create the community, empathy and understanding needed to begin the process toward greater social justice and equality.

So, when you are watching the this month, be sure to cheer on , the only American to earn an Olympic gold medal in Judo. Afterward, check out your local dojo. It is truly never too late to learn more about yourself and your community.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

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As we enter 2014, the world continues to be as kaleidoscopic a swirl of activity as ever. At a time of emails, tweets and cell phones, there is a real risk of drowning in the noise. Our goal is to cut through the clutter and give you the information that matters. In other words, we want to help you make sense of the world.

Please keep an eye out for our best articles of 2013 and tell us how we can do better. We wish you all the best for the new year.

In the US, the National Security Agency (NSA) saga rolls on. A week after a judge damned NSA surveillance in a 68-page judgment, another has found it legal. New York District Judge William Pauley NSA surveillance as a "counter-punch" to al-Qaeda. He believes that the Fourth Amendment, which was discussed in the previous , is "fundamental, but not absolute."

The debate over NSA activities was long overdue and will now be carried out not only by the , the public and the Congress but also by the judiciary. Ultimately, the case will go to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, NSA surveillance might be rolled back on the recommendations of a presidential panel which has already stated that fundamental values such as the protection of privacy and civil liberties "."

Cuba continues to gradually open its economy. The government has eased restrictions on loans to private borrowers. Individuals and small businesses can now borrow smaller amounts. The minimum lending amount has been reduced from 3,000 pesos to 1,000 pesos. Borrowers will have longer to repay their loans and will be able to use their houses and jewelry as security. Last , Cuba lifted restrictions on citizens buying foreign-made cars.

In Mexico, five decapitated bodies were found in the western Michoacan state as drug cartels continue their turf wars that have inflicted incalculable damage to the country. Despite the federal government sending thousands of troops to the state, violence has continued. Mass graves were recently found and three local police officers were killed last week. The War on Drugs is simply not working anywhere and Mexico is no exception.

The Russian city of Volgograd has been hit by terrorist attacks at a train station and on a trolleybus. Over 30 people have died so far in both the attacks. Russia is gearing up for the 2014 Winter Olympics that will be held in Sochi. The city is close to the Caucasus region where resentment against Moscow has led to insurgency in Chechnya and Dagestan. The country has suffered terrorist attacks in the past but has largely managed to control both insurgency and terrorism.

In Ukraine, protests persist and tens of thousands have marched to the private Mezhygirya residence of President Viktor Yanukovych demanding his resignation. Protests have been continuing for more than a month. They seemed to be losing momentum, especially after Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Ukraine $15 billion and a sweet gas deal. However, Tetyana Chornovol, a prominent journalist, was attacked on Christmas provoking outrage. She had accused Yanukovych of corruption over the financing of his Mezhygirya residence.

In France, the ridiculous rate of 75% taxation for high earners has been approved by its highest court. The initial proposal to tax individuals was deemed unconstitutional. Therefore, President Francois Hollande’s government came up with a measure to make employers liable for the tax on all salaries that exceed €1 million.

After banning the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s government has now declared the Brotherhood to be a terrorist organization. It has launched a crackdown and arrested thousands of protesters. Protests, violence and repression are increasing in Egypt. A violent crackdown on universities, especially, the famous al-Azhar of Cairo, has led to deaths. The press is being persecuted too. In the latest incident, four Al Jazeera journalists have been arrested in Cairo.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is embroiled in a major corruption scandal involving juicy real estate deals. Three ministers have resigned but Erdogan has vowed to fight on. One of the departing ministers has called for Erdogan to quit as well.

In neighboring Syria, the government has been bombing the rebel-held parts of Aleppo killing more than 300 people, including 87 children. It has used barrel bombs – crude devices filled with explosives and fuel – that kill indiscriminately. Syria’s civil war has spilled into Lebanon. Mohamad Chatah, a former finance minister and prominent Sunni leader who was a prominent critic of Syria and Hezbollah, was killed along with 11 others. Any new civil war in Lebanon will be between Shi'as and Sunnis and mirror the brutal conflict in Syria.

Military forces loyal to South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir of the Dinka tribe, have driven away a militia of largely Nuer youths that was advancing to the town of Bor. Barely two years after independence from Sudan, the specter of civil war is haunting South Sudan as 1,000 people have already died and over 100,000 have fled their homes. Conflict broke out after Kiir accused Riek Machar, his Nuer former vice president, of plotting a coup. Machar’s rebellion has spread, reaching the oil-producing Unity and Upper Nile states. Oil production has fallen by at least 45,000 barrels per day to 200,000 barrels daily. Because South Sudan has oil, more powerful nations have an interest to intervene.

In Central African Republic (CAR), a full-scale civil war is on. Two more peacekeepers were killed and citizens from Chad are being targeted because many rebel Seleka gunmen hail from that country. The battle has fused a tribal conflict with religious fervor thanks, in no small measure, to the work of missionaries.

In Niger, more than 20,000 people have marched to protest against President Mahamadou Issoufou's rule. Demonstrators are demanding an end to corruption and media censorship as well as an improvement in living standards.

Russia is extending its arc of influence in Central Asia. After Belarus and Uzbekistan met to discuss deeper economic cooperation, Uzbekistan joined the free trade zone of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which is a loose association of former Soviet republics.

In Afghanistan, campaigning for elections has begun. Qayum Karzai, President Hamid Karzai’s brother, is trailing in opinion polls to Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmedzai. The latter is leading in the polls because of support from Uzbek leader Rashid Dostum.

In Pakistan, charismatic cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan continues to keep the pressure on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over US drone strikes. Sharif had claimed that protests by Khan’s party were isolating Pakistan. In a fiery response, Khan accused Sharif of emulating the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and engaging in duplicity by covertly supporting US drone strikes. Most Pakistanis find drone strikes humiliating and support Khan on the issue.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni shrine that honors many war criminals, infuriating not only China but also South Korea. Most of Asia found the visit deeply distasteful because the Japanese committed numerous war crimes such as killing civilians, torture and mass rape. The US was disappointed by this visit, which it felt would "exacerbate tensions" with neighbors.

In China, more than 500 municipal lawmakers in Hunan province have resigned following an election fraud scandal. Li Chongxi, a senior leader from Sichuan province and an aide to disgraced ex-Security Chief Zhou Yongkang, is being investigated as well.

Government frugality is unlikely to be matched by Chinese parents. The number of students going abroad has tripled in a decade. A degree from a top US school like Harvard or MIT is worth its weight in gold and often more prestigious than business success. China may be an economic superpower but it still suffers from an inferiority complex.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

Image: Copyright © . All Rights Reserved

The post Make Sense of the World: Weekly Roundup appeared first on 51�Թ�.

As we enter 2014, the world continues to be as kaleidoscopic a swirl of activity as ever. At a time of emails, tweets and cell phones, there is a real risk of drowning in the noise. Our goal is to cut through the clutter and give you the information that matters. In other words, we want to help you make sense of the world.

Please keep an eye out for our best articles of 2013 and tell us how we can do better. We wish you all the best for the new year.

In the US, the National Security Agency (NSA) saga rolls on. A week after a judge damned NSA surveillance in a 68-page judgment, another has found it legal. New York District Judge William Pauley NSA surveillance as a “counter-punch” to al-Qaeda. He believes that the Fourth Amendment, which was discussed in the previous , is “fundamental, but not absolute.” He went on to say that restrictions on the Fourth Amendment are to be judged by their reasonableness. At a time when “people voluntarily surrender personal and seemingly-private information” to companies that profit out of them, the NSA’s action passes the test of reasonableness because it is subject to “executive and congressional oversight, as well as continual monitoring by a dedicated group of judges.”

The debate over NSA activities was long overdue and will now be carried out not only by the , the public and the Congress but also by the judiciary. Ultimately, the case will go to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, NSA surveillance might be rolled back on the recommendations of a presidential panel which has already stated that fundamental values such as the protection of privacy and civil liberties “.”

About 1.3 million people will stop receiving “emergency employment compensation” in the US from . This program was created on June 30, 2008, by former President George W. Bush as a response to the recession. Many Republicans argue that the government should not be spending $25 billion on the program, while the White House argues that the program is essential to keep millions of families out of poverty. At a time of continuing economic weakness and a harsh winter, it is doctrinaire for Republicans to cut a mere $25 billion when they have opposed other cuts, especially in the military. In a US budge of around $3.6 trillion, $25 billion amounts to a mere 0.69% of the total figure, which could have been cut later.

After being hit by a record fine of $13 billion by the Department of Justice, JP Morgan is in further trouble. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating JP Morgan in an anti-bribery case. In 2006, JP Morgan began the “Sons and Daughters” program to hire friends and family of the ruling elite of China. They were subjected to less stringent standards and the suspicion is that they helped JP Morgan win lucrative business. Well-connected people around the world have long pushed their children into important positions. Nepotism has long been a universal problem. Legacy students are admitted to Ivy Leagues and the pudgy North Korean leader succeeded his father without having to do anything to prove himself. Details have yet to emerge, but either JP Morgan engaged in some quid pro quo with Chinese leaders or the SEC is locked in overreach.

Cuba continues to gradually open its economy. The government has eased restrictions on loans to private borrowers. Individuals and small businesses can now borrow smaller amounts. The minimum lending amount has been reduced from 3,000 pesos to 1,000 pesos. Borrowers will have longer to repay their loans and will be able to use their houses and jewelry as security. Last , Cuba lifted restrictions on citizens buying foreign-made cars. Two years ago when Raul Castro took over from his brother Fidel, he launched a series of measures to reform Cuban socialism. After years of communism, the Cuban economy is in dire straits. The reform process is inevitable and will eventually gather momentum. At some point, the Cuban economy will be in a similar position to Myanmar’s with investors rushing in to profit from untapped opportunities.

In Mexico, five decapitated bodies were found in the western Michoacan state as drug cartels continue their turf wars that have inflicted incalculable damage to the country. Despite the federal government sending thousands of troops to the state, violence has continued. Mass graves were recently found and three local police officers were killed last week. The War on Drugs is simply not working anywhere and Mexico is no exception. Troops are unlikely to succeed in a poor society where high payoffs draw a steady stream of recruits to gangs. Some towns have formed vigilante armed groups but they are unlikely to succeed in the long-run. Ultimately, there is no solution for Mexico except to try alternatives like Uruguay’s policy of legalization of the growing, sale and use of marijuana.

Southeast Brazil is suffering catastrophic floods following torrential rain. The states of Espirito Santo and Minas Gerais have reported their worst downpours in 90 years. More than 40 people have died and around 70,000 have been forced to flee from their homes. Bridges and roads have suffered extensive damage. In 2011, Brazil suffered its worst natural disaster when over 800 people died in floods. Clearly, weather patterns around the world are becoming more erratic and Brazil is going to be more vulnerable to disastrous floods by virtue of its geography.

In a freak event that will undoubtedly inspire Hollywood films, more than 60 people in the Argentinean city of Rosario were attacked by a swarm of piranha fish when they were cooling off in the Parana River.

El Salvador’s Chaparrastique volcano erupted. Thousands fled their homes for safety. Emergency shelters have been set up and people within three kilometers of the volcano are being evacuated. This is a coffee-producing region and the fear is that this year’s crop might be affected.

The Russian city of Volgograd has been hit by terrorist attacks at a train station and on a trolleybus. Over 30 people have died so far in both the attacks. Russia is gearing up for the 2014 Winter Olympics that will be held in Sochi. The city is close to the Caucasus region where resentment against Moscow has led to insurgency in Chechnya and Dagestan. The country has suffered terrorist attacks in the past but has largely managed to control both insurgency and terrorism. The attacks demonstrate that Russia’s policy of brutal repression has its limits and the country remains vulnerable to Islamist insurgent groups of the Caucasus. These groups are likely to target other Russian cities in the run-up to the Olympics to draw attention to the region. Moscow, on the other hand, will try to avoid any further attacks to avoid losing face.

In Ukraine, protests persist and tens of thousands have marched to the private Mezhygirya residence of President Viktor Yanukovych demanding his resignation. Protests have been continuing for more than a month. They seemed to be losing momentum, especially after Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Ukraine $15 billion and a sweet gas deal. However, Tetyana Chornovol, a prominent journalist, was attacked on Christmas provoking outrage. She had accused Yanukovych of corruption over the financing of his Mezhygirya residence. Naturally, Yanukovych denies being behind the attack on Chornovol. Initially, protests began because Yanukovych reneged on a deal with the European Union (EU) at the last minute. This attack epitomizes for many Ukrainians what they are fighting for. They are fighting to become a truly democratic state that respects fundamental freedoms and functions through a rule of law. Unfortunately for them, Yanukovych and his supporters from the eastern part of the county still feel more attracted to Russia. The strife in Ukraine is set to continue for some time to come.

In France, the ridiculous rate of 75% taxation for high earners has been approved by its highest court. The initial proposal to tax individuals was deemed unconstitutional. Therefore, President Francois Hollande’s government came up with a measure to make employers liable for the tax on all salaries that exceed €1 million. This measure will last two years and has met with howls of protest from businesses. Football clubs have gone on strike over it and noted actor Gerard Depardieu has taken Russian citizenship in protest. France is a country where the government already controls over 56% of the GDP. The private sector has been squeezed out. Red tape has driven French entrepreneurs abroad. The French economy needs to be freed from the dead hand of the state if it is to bloom again. Instead France is hurtling to disaster and will damage the rest of the eurozone in the process.

After banning the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s government has now declared the Brotherhood to be a terrorist organization. It has launched a crackdown and arrested thousands of protesters. Protests, violence and repression are increasing in Egypt. A violent crackdown on universities, especially, the famous al-Azhar of Cairo, has led to deaths. The press is being persecuted too. In the latest incident, four Al Jazeera journalists have been arrested in Cairo. General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi is expected to be the next president and there are only two possibilities facing Egypt. First, it descends into civil war just as Algeria did in the 1990s. Second, it becomes an authoritarian state where .

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is embroiled in a major corruption scandal involving juicy real estate deals. Three ministers have resigned but Erdogan has vowed to fight on. One of the departing ministers has called for Erdogan to quit as well. The government has changed rules for the police, appointed new police chiefs, and brought in new prosecutors. Journalists have been banned from visiting police stations. Erdogan is blaming outsiders, in particular the US, to drum up patriotic support. He is also blaming the Gulen movement that comprises of fellow Islamists and that used to be an ally. Just as during the Taksim protests over the summer, Erdogan is demonstrating his authoritarian streak. Turkey is facing a  and a slowdown in the economy with the Turkish lira hitting a record low. This scandal will weaken both Erdogan and Turkey.

In neighboring Syria, the government has been bombing the rebel-held parts of Aleppo killing more than 300 people, including 87 children. It has used barrel bombs – crude devices filled with explosives and fuel – that kill indiscriminately. Syria’s civil war has spilled into Lebanon. Mohamad Chatah, a former finance minister and prominent Sunni leader who was a prominent critic of Syria and Hezbollah, was killed along with 11 others. Sunni Muslims are largely supporting their brethren in Syria while Shi’as back the Alawite Assad regime. Sectarianism is exacerbated by foreign influence. Saudi Arabia is already funding fighters in Syria with experience in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Libya and Iraq. It has just pledged $3 billion to the Lebanese army and French President Hollande, who was visiting Saudi Arabia, has agreed to supply weapons to its former colony. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Maronite Christian community fought Muslims, both Shi’a and Sunni. Any new civil war in Lebanon will be between Shi’as and Sunnis and mirror the brutal conflict in Syria.

In Iraq, the same Shi’a-Sunni conflict is already playing out. Ahmed al-Alwani, a Sunni lawmaker, was arrested in Anbar, a western province bordering Syria, after a clash that left his brother, sister and three bodyguards dead. Iraqi troops are engaged in a major operation in Anbar to flush out al-Qaeda militants that are gaining a foothold both in Anbar and neighboring Syria. The US is rushing Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones to help the Iraqi government. The speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Usama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni leader, dubbed the operation a “blatant violation” of Iraq’s constitution and called upon Sunnis to defend themselves, as violence in Iraq reached its worst levels since 2006-7.

Military forces loyal to South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir of the Dinka tribe, have driven away a militia of largely Nuer youths that was advancing to the town of Bor. Barely two years after independence from Sudan, the specter of civil war is haunting South Sudan as 1,000 people have already died and over 100,000 have fled their homes. Conflict broke out after Kiir accused Riek Machar, his Nuer former vice president, of plotting a coup. Machar’s rebellion has spread, reaching the oil-producing Unity and Upper Nile states. Oil production has fallen by at least 45,000 barrels per day to 200,000 barrels daily. Because South Sudan has oil, more powerful nations have an interest to intervene. It also means that potential sanctions can be used as leverage. Unsurprisingly, pressure from the United Nations (UN) has led to Kiir agreeing to release eight of 11 senior politicians who have been accused of colluding with Machar to organize a coup. Plenty remains to be done but an end to conflict is a real possibility.

In Central African Republic (CAR), a full-scale civil war is on. Two more peacekeepers were killed and citizens from Chad are being targeted because many rebel Seleka gunmen hail from that country. The battle has fused a tribal conflict with religious fervor thanks, in no small measure, to the work of missionaries. The Christian-Muslim conflict is intensifying and 1,600 French troops and 4,000 African Union soldiers are clearly too few to bring peace. Since CAR has no oil and few resources, outside powers are likely to intervene. Conflict is raging even in the capital Bangui and, unlike South Sudan, there are no prospects of peace.

In Niger, more than 20,000 people have marched to protest against President Mahamadou Issoufou’s rule. Demonstrators are demanding an end to corruption and media censorship as well as an improvement in living standards. In one of the world’s poorest countries with a fast growing population, thirst, hunger, lack of education and little healthcare torment most of its inhabitants. Issoufou was elected in 2011 on the promise to change the situation but has failed so far. Although oil production is 16,500 barrels a day and Niger is the world’s fourth largest producer of uranium, government revenues remain low. Companies such as the French nuclear power firm Areva have been suspected of bribing the government, while opposition leader Seini Oumarou claims that the government facilitates an “organized looting” of Niger’s natural resources. The popular upsurge may lead to renegotiation of contracts with companies extracting natural resources.

In Tanzania, the killing of elephants has increased sharply. In November and December, 60 elephants were killed as compared to a mere two in October. The reason for the increase is the suspension of the anti-poaching operation in which security forces followed a shoot-to-kill policy. Appropriately termed Operation Terminate, this exercise led to the killing of 13 civilians and more than 1,000 arrests. After an inquiry by members of parliament, President Jakaya Kikwete has sacked many ministers and called a halt to the operation because of its human rights abuses. He is calling for international help to strengthen Tanzania’s wildlife department and ranger service. However, the massacre of elephants is likely to continue because of the huge demand for ivory from Asia.

Russia is extending its arc of influence in Central Asia. After Belarus and Uzbekistan met to discuss deeper economic cooperation, Uzbekistan joined the free trade zone of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which is a loose association of former Soviet republics. Other members of the CIS free trade zone are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have signed the free trade deal and are expected to ratify the treaty.

In Afghanistan, campaigning for elections has begun. Qayum Karzai, President Hamid Karzai’s brother, is trailing in opinion polls to Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmedzai. The latter is leading in the polls because of support from Uzbek leader Rashid Dostum. Most of Ahmedzai’s supporters come from the north and east. Abdullah’s support comes from the north. This is good news for the US because these regions fear the Taliban takeover of the country and are in favor of the long delayed Bilateral Security Arrangement (BSA). Meanwhile, the US is ratcheting up pressure on Afghans to sign the BSA. Its ambassador said that if no US troops remain in Afghanistan, the Afghans could expect little aid. So far, $88 billion of aid has flowed into the country leading to 7 million more children attending school and a dramatic 80% reduction in maternal mortality during childbirth. If the BSA is not signed, US intelligence estimates that gains made by the Americans will be lost by 2017.

In Pakistan, charismatic cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan continues to keep the pressure on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over US drone strikes. Sharif had claimed that protests by Khan’s party were isolating Pakistan. In a fiery response, Khan accused Sharif of emulating the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and engaging in duplicity by covertly supporting US drone strikes. He claimed that both Sharif’s party and the PPP were worried not about isolation but about the safety of their assets stashed abroad. Khan has promised to continue blockading NATO supplies until US drone strikes end. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the callow leader of PPP and a scion of the Bhutto dynasty, delivered a speech at Garhi Khuda Baksh where his mother and grandfather are buried. Zardari spoke Urdu in an English accent and was often shrieking at the top of his voice. He accused Khan of being a traitor who was in cahoots with the Taliban and who was mourning the recently assassinated Taliban leader, Hakimllah Mehsud. In a long rant, he railed against the late military dictator Zia-ul-Haq, the Punjabi establishment and Sharif. Zardari is just a nuisance but Khan is a real worry for Sharif. Most Pakistanis find drone strikes humiliating and support Khan on the issue.

In India, Arvind Kejriwal has become the youngest chief minister of Delhi. Leading the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an anti-corruption outfit, he has made history by upsetting the ruling party run by the Nehru dynasty as well as the opposition party led by Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat. Kejriwal is known for his personal integrity and it is clear that voters in Delhi want a break from business as usual. Indians beat the Russians in keeping money in Swiss banks. With the rise of Kejriwal, this might start to change.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni shrine that honors many war criminals, infuriating not only China but also South Korea. Most of Asia found the visit deeply distasteful because the Japanese committed numerous war crimes such as killing civilians, torture and mass rape. The US was disappointed by this visit, which it felt would “exacerbate tensions” with neighbors. Although Abe declared that he did not want to hurt Chinese and Korean feelings, the visit was gratuitous provocation and nationalism at its worst. It broke an unwritten agreement with China that serving Japanese leaders would not visit the shrine. Besides, Abe broke his own promise of not even considering a visit “as long as the issue remains a diplomatic problem.”

All countries in East Asia are careering down a dangerous path of provocative nationalism that can lead to disaster. China and South Korea have been flexing their muscles over islands in East China Sea. However, Japan’s actions are increasingly the most worrying of all. Its peacetime constitution has been rolled back, its military is being strengthened despite a still weak economy, and a draconian bill is curtailing transparency thereby endangering Japanese democracy. Under the new law, anyone revealing information about the Fukushima nuclear disaster could be locked up.

Abe has long been a nationalist. His grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, was minister of industry for much of the war but was never charged and went on to serve as prime minister. Even more so than Britain and France, Japan has never confronted its past. Just as British students learn nothing about the massacres of colored people in other continents, Japanese students learn nothing about war crimes. Abe’s visit is not just insensitive, it seems to be deliberate. Abe might have wanted to provoke China so that he could use the backlash for his purposes. Abe aims to continue consolidating power and revising Japan’s post-war constitution. He believes that the constitution is a post-war national humiliation and wants to reclaim Japanese sovereignty. If Abe had his way, human rights and civil liberties would be put on the chopping block along with pacifism. Furthermore, Abe might be shoring up the support of his right-wing supporters by playing the tough guy.

In China, more than 500 municipal lawmakers in Hunan province have resigned following an election fraud scandal. Li Chongxi, a senior leader from Sichuan province and an aide to disgraced ex-Security Chief Zhou Yongkang, is being investigated as well. They have had to go because of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign that has pledged to target both “tigers and flies” – both high and low ranking officials. New government buildings and lavish banquets have been banned as Xi aims to start a new age of austerity to gain public trust and popularity.

Government frugality is unlikely to be matched by Chinese parents. The number of students going abroad has tripled in a decade. A degree from a top US school like Harvard or MIT is worth its weight in gold and often more prestigious than business success. China may be an economic superpower but it still suffers from an inferiority complex. Conversions to Christianity, the adulation of western education, consumption of luxury brands, and the desperation to work for a multinational reveal that this is still a country with a lot of growing up to do.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

Image: Copyright © . All Rights Reserved

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What a difference a year makes. This time last year, London and the rest of the United Kingdom were in a state of shock as (and subsequent looting) held the authorities hostage for over a week. on this subject back then, I stressed that what was needed was a collective response from both the government and wider society in dealing with the complex background context that had fermented the riots. I talked about the need to engage with each other and to start the process of ‘linking’ to not only understand each other but to strengthen communities, add to social cohesion and contribute to personal and professional development through friendships made, as well as work undertaken across the partnerships. Linking, partnerships, and engagement all mean the same thing: a sense of cooperation that leads to better understanding that should be encouraged and supported. This is a powerful tool for the promotion of dialogue, tolerance, and harmonious living.

However, since then, despite assurances of addressing some of the real issues, it seems that not much has really been done. Some compensations have been paid out (though it appears not in amounts promised), damaged buildings have been rebuilt and looters have been jailed. But there has been very little done to address some of the underlying factors that precipitated the riots.

Community Forum

It is the community that has taken the first step to collectively move forward from blame to positive action and address the root causes. One such community , which took place on February 1, 2012, looked specifically at how grassroots organisations have responded and should respond to such incidents, taking into account the moral and value-based dimension of the problem.

What was particularly unique about this forum was that it brought together some of the principle players who were involved directly with the riots either as perpetrators, victims, or people who prevented the riots taking place in their own areas. It allowed them the space for sharing success stories and best practices, as well as, real engagement between the youth and people who are directly involved with realising changes within their communities. In the wake of the anniversary of the riots, the from this forum was recently published.

Interestingly, the views aired by the youth in particular should point us to their frustrations and concerns, especially when it comes to relationships with the authorities, the police’s ‘stop and search’ practice, quality of education, lack of job opportunities, and the lack of resources to develop facilities for the youth. The young participants who attended the forum were candid in identifying that some negative aspects of youth culture, such as the types of music listened to or the expectations of obtaining the ‘best and shiniest toy’, misuse of social media such as Blackberry Messenger (and Facebook) by the rioters, a breakdown of respect within society, and a lack of purpose, were the dominant issues that need to be addressed. Their opinion tells us precisely where our time should be more productively spent in order to ensure that last year’s events do not recur.

What this report tells us is something that was already common knowledge despite the best efforts especially by the British Government to paint it otherwise. They tell us that the riots that took place in London and other cities in summer 2011 cannot be viewed or solved in isolation without taking into account the wider picture. At the heart of the crisis is the frightening failure of integrity in society and, to use the words of the former Bishop of Worcester, “we need to attune our moral compasses and move away from a ‘system of disregard’ that had emanated from the top of society and had made its way to the bottom”.

New Insights and Alternative Solutions

In order for us to tackle the root causes of the riots there is a need for new insights and alternative solutions. We have to develop values that can give a sense of purpose to individuals. This will come not only from an education process but also by developing closer relationships between families and communities. In this is a role for faith communities in particular, to move out of institutional power politics and to provide a narrative and a space in which one can start to explore some of these discussions of ethics, values, and morals. Thus, communities must recognize that the solutions to their challenges lie first with themselves and how they focus on the youth in terms of providing support, advice, and guidance. This involves tackling real issues, such as lack of aspirations and motivation amongst young people and enabling them to find meaning and direction in their lives.

Throughout Britain, there are seeds of hope. As the report shows, these are sown by community groups and organizations who out of the bankruptcy of failed regeneration efforts, are stepping in to fill the gaps. For example, in Manchester, the United Estates of Wythenshaw project – an inner-city cultural community centre – helps to ‘foster a sense of belonging,education, and training’. Or the , a project based in Wolverhampton, which looks at training youth (regardless of ethnicity and colour), raising their expectations, empowering them, giving them confidence, helping them to find their voice, and to engage. In the words of the director of EYES: "Once they are plugged into the system they can change it. Then there’s no need to worry about them being radicalised or rebelling."

In working to change the system of disregard, decision makers and figures in authority must increase real engagement with communities through regular consultations with community leaders, groups and schools, thereby, reducing resentment amongst grassroots communities. The challenge for all of us is to facilitate and ensure that such initiatives are sustainable and spread throughout the country at all levels. Therefore, space and confidenceneeds to beestablished and, more importantly, sustained, for this type of engagement to take place. This would hopefully lead to the creation of strongercommunities that can share their best practices and come up with organic solutions to their problems.

London 2012 and Inner City Communities

This year, London has been seen in an entirely different light as the Olympics have showcased the city in all its summer glory, warmth, and hospitality. Adding to it, the remarkable achievements of Team GB athletes created a powerful feel-good factor and added to national pride.

The anniversary of the riots has been largely overshadowed by the Games and some cynically say that the Olympics have been a distraction, masking the real issues in London and the UK. Speaking to reporters, people from the communities at the heart of the riots last year that the Olympics did not touch them, and that nor did they feel ‘inspired’.

While the distraction from the routine of everyday life and the effects of recession have probably been good for the morale of London, the real challenge now lies in the legacy of the Games. Whilst the motto of London 2012 has been ‘To Inspire a Generation’, a very laudable initiative, it is not just inspiration that is needed. It is real support and investment; guidance, mentoring, and hand-holding that can create a space for the next generation to flourish. The motivation to do this has to go beyond just political plaudits to real life investment and commitment.

Since inner city communities bore the brunt of the impacts of the riots, they should be the first beneficiaries of this legacy and hence we need to communicate with marginalized communities. To do this, it is vital to identify key ‘gatekeepers’ who have influence within marginalized communities such as teachers, former gang members, and religious leaders, who are part of the solution and not the problem.

What the Olympics have served to show is that results are borne from hard-work, dedication and perseverance. The achievements of the athletes goes very much against the grain of the consumer-oriented life we have allowed ourselves to fall into, where more is better if it is done quickly and without much effort. This is the inspiration that needs to be drawn from the Olympians who now have a responsibility to engage with these at-risk youngsters to inspire them to achieve their dreams, and perhaps even beyond.

People can be inspired, but without access to facilities and an opening up of opportunities, inspiration fizzles out to disillusionment. Currently, there is little scope in the school curriculum to provide young people with a bigger purpose in life and therefore, it is important for ‘out of school’ activities such as sports and community service to be developed.

The British government will have its part to play in correcting the structural weaknesses in society that lead to social inequity and isolation. However, there has to be a bigger role for wider society. The great sense of pride and unity that has swept the nation, the multiculturalism of the Olympic opening ceremony and the plethora of medals by people who capture the diversity of the UK society, has to be channelled and utilised in order to inspire and offer opportunities for the next generation. As Londoners, in the midst of a double recession and reeling from last year’s riots, we needed that reminder and that boost of motivation to, as Eric Idle would sing in the closing ceremony, ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’.

However, London 2012 cannot afford to be written off just as a long party, but will have to sustain this spirituality of commonality, which we discovered during the Olympics that will allow us to recognise the common space and substance that will provide the fuel for social change.

In short, we must learn to listen closely to one another, not simply because it is polite, but because it is just possible that we might learn something important about ourselves, become better human beings, and build a better global village in the process.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect 51�Թ�’s editorial policy.

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Lolo Jones, the American track and field star who is competing at the London Summer Games, has never won an Olympic medal. In 2008 in Beijing, she was the favorite to win gold in the 100-meter hurdles. She dominated the race, but tripped over the penultimate hurdle to finish in seventh place.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Jones has won over Madison Avenue. Her corporate sponsors include Asics athletic gear, Oakley eyewear, Procter & Gamble consumer goods, and Red Bull, the high-octane energy drinks company. In addition to being a talented athlete, Jones has a compelling life story — she is the daughter of a single mother, and her father spent most of her childhood in state prison. She is personable and funny, not to mention 5’9′ and beautiful. If she wins a medal next month — Jones squeaked in to the third spot on the U.S. team in June — her potential to attract even more sponsors will skyrocket.

As the summer Games continue in London this week, corporate marketing departments and ad agencies are making a multitude of calculations about Jones and other hopefuls in an attempt to monetize the magic of the Olympics. A handful of companies, including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Dow Chemical, have paid dearly to be official sponsors of the Games themselves. Most companies, however, forge marketing agreements with individual athletes or groups of athletes. These sponsorships tend to be cheaper, and they provide an opportunity for companies to link their brand with the personality and accomplishments of a particular Olympian.

“The Olympics cultivate a particularly powerful feeling in us,” says , a Wharton marketing professor. “It transcends any affiliation to a particular sport or event. It appeals to our sense of national pride. We connect with the athletes. There’s something about being the very best on the planet that speaks to us. These are not athletes who are making millions of dollars — most of them, at least. They’re just like us: regular people with an Olympic dream.

“You can understand why companies want to connect with that feeling,” he adds. “But the question they need to address is: What is the purpose of sponsorship?”

Ring Exposure

The Olympics hold a special place in our global consciousness. The Games evoke our patriotism; they inspire us with tales of triumph over adversity. They expose us to new cultures and experiences. (How many times have you ever watched a canoe slalom race?) They excite us with perfect human specimens achieving things that have never been done before. And they get great ratings, too: The 2008 Beijing Olympics, for instance, drew an estimated global television audience of 4.7 billion over the 17 days of competition, according to Nielsen, the market research company. For advertisers, the Olympics represent an unmistakable opportunity.

The precise cost of sponsoring the Olympic Games is a tightly guarded secret. But it is undoubtedly an expensive undertaking. According to various media reports, this year’s sponsors are thought to have paid some $100 million to the International Olympic Committee for a four-year deal under which they are the only sponsors within their product category. This figure does not include the cost of participating at the Games or of promoting their sponsorship. Sponsorship enables companies to use the famed rainbow-colored rings on their products and in their advertising.

It’s a way for companies to bask in the glow of the prestige and excitement of the Games, says , sports business analyst for ESPN and a lecturer at Wharton who teaches sports law and negotiations. “The Olympics brand has great class and cachet. It is beyond any other sporting event. Companies want to be associated with those rings.”

But official Olympic sponsorship might not be the best use of a corporate marketing budget. Gallup & Robinson, a marketing research company based in Pennington, N.J., routinely runs surveys that test the effectiveness of sports sponsorships. It has found that while two out of three people say that Olympic sponsors are doing a good thing for the country, viewers seldom take notice of official supporters. The sponsorships of some companies are known by less than 10% of viewers. A salient example: Nike is the brand most associated with the 2012 Olympics, according to research by Jam, the digital marketing agency, but it is not an Olympic sponsor.

A 1997 paper by Kathleen Anne Farrell at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and W. Scott Frame at the U.S. Treasury Department used stock return data to measure the value of sponsoring the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. They found that the shareholders of sponsoring firms earned negative average returns around the announcement of Olympic sponsorship agreements.

There is an opportunity cost to sponsoring the Olympics, notes Wharton’s Reed. “Companies need to ask: Are there better ways to use our marketing resources other than putting the money into a sponsorship?”

Still, while the immediate payoff of Olympic sponsorship may be elusive, in the long run, companies should see benefits, according to Ron Goodstein, a marketing professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “Sponsorship of the event is purely equity building,” he says. “You want customers to think, ‘These are good people; these are good companies.’ If companies think that sponsorship is going to get customers to purchase a product, they’re dreaming. It should be more about enhancing their image.”

Take, for instance, BP, the oil company trying to burnish its reputation after its disastrous handling of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP is an official London Olympic Partner. “It’s not to make you go buy gas from BP. It’s going to make you start to think that BP is doing things to make the world a better place,” Goodstein notes. “And over time, sales might increase.”

Breakfast of Champions

Another way for companies to capitalize on the Games is by sponsoring a particular athlete, or group of athletes. Finding the right Olympic spokesperson is an easier feat for companies that have a native, natural connection to sports. For bathing suit and running shoe manufacturers, for example, the Olympic Games are an advertising bonanza.

Other companies have to get creative. “This is where the fun part starts,” says Goodstein. “Companies try to match their brands to the theme of the Olympics with commercials that blur the line between the program and the ad. If they match the theme, they keep the audience involved. The ad could be about an athlete or it could be about the Olympics bringing people together.”

But what many companies have not paid enough attention to in the past is whether or not the ad and the athlete they feature match the product or service they are selling, he notes. “If it doesn’t fit, at the end of watching the ad, people feel duped. They feel like they’ve been tricked into watching the ad, and the strategy backfires.”

Fit is key. It makes sense, for instance, that Michael Phelps — the gold medal swimmer who famously blasts loud hip-hop music on his iPod before his races — got a deal to pitch for a waterproof headphones company after the last summer Olympics. It makes sense that in 1986, Eveready chose Mary Lou Retton, a gymnast known for her high energy level, to sell its batteries. But other sponsorships don’t quite work. “Brandi Chastain [the Olympic soccer player] is a great fit for PowerBar, but she has no particular fit for Gallery Furniture, and the effectiveness of her endorsement of that company is lower,” says Goodstein.

In choosing a spokesperson, companies look at the athlete’s name recognition, likability, image, personal story and sex appeal. “Companies are looking for a showman,” notes Anthony Fernandez, a Florida-based branding consultant who specializes in professional athletes. “They’re looking for someone who is passionate, who can entertain, who can bring folks to their feet. A lot comes down to personality.”

Another big factor: Companies want winners. “Think about the Wheaties box,” says , professor of marketing at Wharton. “It’s always the gold-medal winner because Wheaties is ‘the breakfast of champions.’ It’s not the ‘breakfast of champions and losers.'” He adds that companies have an incentive to sign up athletes before they are winners. “It’s simply an economic thing. They’re cheaper before they win. There is a feeling of, ‘Let’s sign them before their price goes up.'”

The biggest draw for any company is a winning, attractive athlete. Maria Sharapova, the tennis player who was the first woman to carry Russia’s flag at the opening ceremony in London, is a prime example. She is beautiful and ranked third in the world. She is also the world’s highest-paid female athlete, earning around $25 million a year, according to Forbesmagazine.

There is a big potential downside to sponsoring an individual, however: A company could sign an athlete who does something that generates negative press. The company risks having its brand hurt by association. Companies often are swift to drop the offender. O.J. Simpson, who was accused of killing his wife and her friend, lost his deal with Hertz, the car rental company. Tiger Woods, after his multiple extramarital affairs were discovered, lost Tag Heuer, Gillette, Accenture, Gatorade and a slew of others. Meanwhile, Michael Phelps, who was photographed smoking marijuana, lost Kellogg’s.

“You don’t want to have your name associated with a particular person who’s done something wrong,” says Reibstein.

Olympic Haves and Have-nots

The fact is, very few Olympic athletes are lucky enough to even have corporate support. Fewer than 5% of athletes who will compete at the Games have a direct sponsor, according toEvan Morgenstein, president and CEO of Premier Management Group, a boutique sports marketing agency. “There are the haves and the have-nots,” notes Morgenstein, who represents a large number of U.S. Olympic athletes. “The big-name athletes — the ones you see in bold like the Michael Phelps of the world — they have a lot of money and a lot of deals. Rank-and-file athletes don’t have a lot of money. They have to get side jobs to pay for their training.”

(A telling statistic: A recent survey conducted by the USA Track and Field Foundation found that only half of American track and field athletes who are ranked in the top 10 in their event earn more than $15,000 a year in income from that sport.)

Even those with sponsors are often in a tenuous situation. Before the Games, many companies sign multiple athletes in an effort to hedge their bets. This gives them a backup plan in case one of their athletes doesn’t place or implodes. Most contracts have clauses that allow the company some leeway to get out of the deal if that happens.

A miss at the Olympic trials could end a potentially lucrative relationship. Consider the unfortunate, oft-retold case of Dan & Dave. Dan & Dave was a $30 million advertising campaign by Reebok, the shoe manufacturer, during the build-up to the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona to promote the Olympic face-off between American decathletes Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson. But the showdown never happened. O’Brien didn’t make the team, and the campaign had to be modified. (Johnson went on to win the bronze medal that year. O’Brien won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.)

Olympic athletes are also at a disadvantage because they are only able to draw attention to themselves once every four years. Sure, there are other sporting events where athletes can shine — national meets, national championships and world championships — but those don’t come close to having the same level of media coverage as the Olympics. “Athletes have got to take their careers into their own hands,” says Morgenstein. “That’s the beautiful and awful thing about social media. You can make yourself relevant all the time. You build a fan base, and you work your fan base.”

But for most fans, that would seem to be an overly cynical take on how Olympic athletes view the Games and their followers. Lolo Jones’ Facebook page is themed: 12 years for 12 seconds. (In an ad for Oakley, she says she is trained 12 years for a medal that she hopes she will win in 12 seconds.) In interviews, she comes across as diligent, humble and passionate, not somebody who runs for big-dollar deals with corporate sponsors or who is trying to “work” a fan base.

“Olympic athletes come around every four years, and they have to capitalize on their fame at that moment or they lose it,” notes Wharton’s Reibstein. “It’s a small window. What I’d like to believe is that they’re not all in it for the bucks. The reason all these athletes work so hard is because of their natural athletic competitiveness and their desire to represent their country. The sponsorships are just a windfall.”

This article was originally published by Knowledge@Wharton.

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