Ban Israel From The Paris Olympics
The International Olympic Committee capitulates to American hypocrisy.
Imperialism isn’t always brought by a general leading a conquering army. It’s more common for powerful nations to dispatch well-mannered men in suits to bend others to their will. Such is the case with the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
For the fourth Olympics in a row, Russian athletes will be barred from representing their country. Instead, they’ll compete as “Individual Neutral Athletes” (AINs). Any medals they win will not count towards Russia’s Olympic record, and the Russian national anthem will not be played. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to ban the Russian Federation from the Parisian games back in October as a consequence of Russia’s ongoing occupation of Ukraine. The IOC determined Russia was in “breach of the Olympic Charter” for violating the territorial integrity of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
Naturally, banning Russian athletes raises the question of why Israeli competitors are allowed to compete under their nation’s blood-spattered banner.
Earlier this month, The International Court of Justice affirmed what Palestinians have been saying for fifty-seven years: Israel is illegally occupying the West Bank and Gaza. This followed its January ruling that South Africa’s genocide charge against Israel held merit. While the illegality and immorality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not to be minimized, according to the United Nation’s highest court, Israel’s occupation of Palestine dwarves it in both length and severity.
Just like Ukraine, Palestine has a recognized Olympic Committee. If we apply the IOC’s logic, then Israel’s Olympic Committee is violating the territorial integrity of the Palestinian Olympic Committee via occupation, blockade, and bombardment. If Russian athletes are barred from carrying a war-mongering banner, then so should the Israeli ones.
Yet again, Israel will not be held to the global standard. When pressed on the issue, IOC President Thomas Bach said the committee would remain “neutral on the war in Gaza.” Declaring neutrality on the Palestinian issue while taking a stance on the Russia-Ukraine War displays the naked hypocrisy of not only the International Olympic Committee, but of the American-led coalition that constantly invokes “the rules-based international order.”
“The alternative to a rules-based order is a world in which might makes right and winners take all. And that would be a far more violent and unstable world for all of us.” — Secretary of State Anthony Blinken
Olympics Inc.
Like many other international bodies, the International Olympic Committee claims impartiality but acquiesces to the wishes of powerful nations. While it waxes poetic about “the integrity of sports” and international cooperation, its true motivation is money. As do many world-spanning sports federations, the IOC knows the best markets are the large and wealthy ones; Specifically, The People’s Republic of China and The United States of America. With two American Olympics on the horizon, the IOC has chosen not to risk upsetting its future host.
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be hosted by Los Angeles, and the 2034 winter competition will be in Salt Lake City. Given America’s large affluent population, the IOC is eyeing these games as cash cows. And for good reason. While the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, netted $53 million in profits, the 2002 Salt Lake City games doubled that: $131 million, adjusted for inflation. Eagerly awaiting their American cash pile, the IOC will not risk irking Uncle Sam.
As was displayed during a recent anti-doping dispute between the International and American Olympic Committees, the IOC’s talk of “fairness,” “respect,” and “solidarity” is limited to their marketing copy. Recently, the IOC added an amendment to the Salt Lake contract stressing the need for higher drug testing standards, but quickly capitulated when the American committee laughed in their face. The lesson is clear: on both drug policy and human rights, the IOC does as America wants. It won’t revoke Salt Lake’s host status over PEDs and it surely won’t risk losing two upcoming games by punishing America’s favorite country, Israel.
“The International Olympic Committee needs the United States more than the United States needs the Olympics.” — Dan Wetzel, Sports Columnist, Yahoo News
The hypocrisy of the International Olympic Committee isn’t just a one-off case of a few athletic bureaucrats putting their thumb on the scale. The inclusion of Israeli athletes in the 2024 Paris Olympics illustrates the hollowness of America’s claim to support a peaceful world where law is respected and human rights are paramount. Despite pleas for “the rules based international order,” America’s espoused desire for a partial and balanced international legal regime is hogwash. Its diplomats spew lies while its actions reveal its true goal. America seeks hegemony, and has many tools at to achieve it. The International Olympic Committee is one, which it is using to protect the image of its “mighty aircraft carrier,” Israel. (Those are Benjamin Netanyahu’s words, not mine.)
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If you’d like to read more about Israel’s Olympic propaganda, I suggest this article by
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