They sold us a global sporting fraternity in which all are equal and welcome, and they delivered another tool of cultural blackmail to drive conformity.
International sports events foster a good way for nations to compete without using their militaries. They also help international athletes to befirend one another. The same goes for performing artists such as opera singers. Anna Netrebko, one the the World's premier sopranos had her performances cancelled by Western based music venues because the US sanctioned Russia. Yes, she is of Russian ethnicity but she also holds Austrian citizenship.
The ban on Russia competing in international sports only serves to remind you that the 'rules based order' is there to serve those that make the rules. The US illegally invaded Iraq in 2003 and killed one million people and yet there was never a single suggestion that they should be banned from the 2004 Athens Olympics. That tells you everything you need to know.
The collective West made itself the butt of the joke when Israel was allowed to compete in all of these contests despite unquestionably committing genocide. It is the bare minimum and in the Western block’s best interest to re-admit Russia to repair the self-inflicted reputational damage - but even so, the cat is out of the bag as far as the global majority is concerned. We can’t unsee what have seen during these past few years.
I’ve always thought sport was one of the best ways for the angry ape - that’s all of us - to displace centuries old animus. Ever since the heady days when me and my mates used to play footie in the park - two jumpers and a soggy leather ball - sport offered the hope of unity, personal development and the inspired life. I remember those rain soaked afternoons playing Headers and Volleys in all its gasping, muddy innocence. I feel that sport really does emerge from this innocence but, over time, it morphs into institution’s like FIFA, the FA and the IOC and the goons in suits takeover.
If we look closely, we can see the war/sport corollaries are obvious enough: teams and individuals fiercely compete, the people spectate, cheer and howl and if you win, they give you a shiny medal beneath a pretty flag. Keeping with this theme, there is the infamous Jessie Pope who wrote patriotic doggerel for the Daily Mail during WW1. Her call-up poem, ‘Who’s For The Game’, was addressed to those savvy malingerers and sceptics who didn’t quite fancy getting blown up by a five-nine in a frontline trench. Throughout Pope’s poem, war is presented as a metaphorical game of rugger and cricket. Tally-ho!
Sport is war minus carnage with the added benefit that we get to share homilies on the ‘human family’ and then go home with a warm glow that doesn’t quite last. Tomorrow, sadly, your neighbour’s going to be a dick, your work colleague an arse and you’ll spend the morning at the water cooler rehearsing a domestic elegy: ‘why oh why don’t the roads work anymore…?’
The Olympics has always been a Trojan horse. First, for nationalistic symbolism; second, for corporate vampirism. They barcode the arena’s skies, pipe the circus to a stupefied world, sell you shit you don’t need whilst you gawp at hundreds of eccentric men and women who’ve spent their entire lives perfecting a hundred metre dash or a javelin toss.
Everyone recalls the Berlin Olympics of 36 when Jesses Owen spoiled Adolf’s lunch by trouncing his favoured ubermensch. And who can forget the 1968 Mexico City Olympics when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists on the podium in a Black Power salute to protest racial injustice in the U.S.
We’ve had no-shows such as the 1980 Moscow Olympics Boycott when the U.S. led over 60 nations in boycotting the Games to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan only to be followed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Boycott when the Soviet Union and its allies retaliated by boycotting the LA Games.
If God is invisible, then so is politics. Yet, if we look for the hand of God in life, we might well see it in a sunrise or a sprawl of night stars. Likewise, politics. The IOC may conceal its political substructure from the world, but when we look at its decisions - the banning of Russia - we see the grubby fingerprints of vested interests everywhere.
"LA Olympics"? The truth is thazt no other country should want to send their athletes to the gosh awful US. America should be sanctioned by the international community!
It's an excuse to project nationalist identity: "We're better than you, ner ner nee ner ner!"
Certainly that is how the BBC go about things. Show as many events as you can involving British competitors and only show events involving Johnny Foreigners if you have time to fill.
Then there's the pathological obsession with medals. I thought the Olympics was supposed to be about competing? Show Billy and Becky Bigarse coming last in the paired whatevers then.
I used to have neighbours who went to all the Olympics all over the world, 'to support Britain'. They didn't come across as sports enthusiasts. They just came across as petty nationalists.
The Olympics would be great if you removed country representation. Yes I've actually got out of my seat to roar at Victoria Pendleton, not because she was representing Britain, but because she'd just turned on the afterburners to produce the fastest bit of acceleration I've ever seen on a bicycle, from woman or man. OK, possibly not, the likes of Mark Cavendish in the Tour de France must have been quicker, but you tend to get head-on shots in TdF sprints, whereas in a velodrome you can see the acceleration instantly. Exhilarating to watch.
I was sad to learn of Chris Hoy's passing, not because we happened to share a country of birth (without even trying!), but because he was magnifique on a bike. Rest in peace Big Man.
The Tour de France is being ruined by increasing nationalism. Britain via the Ineos Grenadiers team. What sort of sicko calls a cycling team Grenadiers? Cyclists don't throw grenades at people, not even in London. GB, obsessed with war. The UAE. I'm so sick of seeing the word 'Emirates' – just piss off! And worst of all, Israel. Why they're allowed to have a team called Israel Start-up Nation in the Tour is beyond me. What do they start other than genocides?
Well, any country that has a military base outside of their own country would clearly be a nation with imperialist intentions, so, as a rule, these countries would automatically be banned from the Olympics.
Another bait and switch by the internationalists.
They sold us a global sporting fraternity in which all are equal and welcome, and they delivered another tool of cultural blackmail to drive conformity.
Indeed!
Weaponizing of sports for political ends is pathetic especially the Olympics. Pierre de Courbetin would turn in his grave. RIP diplomacy and peace.
I agree. Sad but true.
International sports events foster a good way for nations to compete without using their militaries. They also help international athletes to befirend one another. The same goes for performing artists such as opera singers. Anna Netrebko, one the the World's premier sopranos had her performances cancelled by Western based music venues because the US sanctioned Russia. Yes, she is of Russian ethnicity but she also holds Austrian citizenship.
Thank you - I agree.
This era of sports bans and boycotts has been disgraceful and petty.
I agree, particularly on the pettiness.
The globalist (contradiction in international sports term) & liberal 'elite' are bad sports.
The ban on Russia competing in international sports only serves to remind you that the 'rules based order' is there to serve those that make the rules. The US illegally invaded Iraq in 2003 and killed one million people and yet there was never a single suggestion that they should be banned from the 2004 Athens Olympics. That tells you everything you need to know.
Quite!
The collective West made itself the butt of the joke when Israel was allowed to compete in all of these contests despite unquestionably committing genocide. It is the bare minimum and in the Western block’s best interest to re-admit Russia to repair the self-inflicted reputational damage - but even so, the cat is out of the bag as far as the global majority is concerned. We can’t unsee what have seen during these past few years.
And to think Israel almost won Eurovision last year!
I’ve always thought sport was one of the best ways for the angry ape - that’s all of us - to displace centuries old animus. Ever since the heady days when me and my mates used to play footie in the park - two jumpers and a soggy leather ball - sport offered the hope of unity, personal development and the inspired life. I remember those rain soaked afternoons playing Headers and Volleys in all its gasping, muddy innocence. I feel that sport really does emerge from this innocence but, over time, it morphs into institution’s like FIFA, the FA and the IOC and the goons in suits takeover.
If we look closely, we can see the war/sport corollaries are obvious enough: teams and individuals fiercely compete, the people spectate, cheer and howl and if you win, they give you a shiny medal beneath a pretty flag. Keeping with this theme, there is the infamous Jessie Pope who wrote patriotic doggerel for the Daily Mail during WW1. Her call-up poem, ‘Who’s For The Game’, was addressed to those savvy malingerers and sceptics who didn’t quite fancy getting blown up by a five-nine in a frontline trench. Throughout Pope’s poem, war is presented as a metaphorical game of rugger and cricket. Tally-ho!
Sport is war minus carnage with the added benefit that we get to share homilies on the ‘human family’ and then go home with a warm glow that doesn’t quite last. Tomorrow, sadly, your neighbour’s going to be a dick, your work colleague an arse and you’ll spend the morning at the water cooler rehearsing a domestic elegy: ‘why oh why don’t the roads work anymore…?’
The Olympics has always been a Trojan horse. First, for nationalistic symbolism; second, for corporate vampirism. They barcode the arena’s skies, pipe the circus to a stupefied world, sell you shit you don’t need whilst you gawp at hundreds of eccentric men and women who’ve spent their entire lives perfecting a hundred metre dash or a javelin toss.
Everyone recalls the Berlin Olympics of 36 when Jesses Owen spoiled Adolf’s lunch by trouncing his favoured ubermensch. And who can forget the 1968 Mexico City Olympics when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists on the podium in a Black Power salute to protest racial injustice in the U.S.
We’ve had no-shows such as the 1980 Moscow Olympics Boycott when the U.S. led over 60 nations in boycotting the Games to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan only to be followed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Boycott when the Soviet Union and its allies retaliated by boycotting the LA Games.
If God is invisible, then so is politics. Yet, if we look for the hand of God in life, we might well see it in a sunrise or a sprawl of night stars. Likewise, politics. The IOC may conceal its political substructure from the world, but when we look at its decisions - the banning of Russia - we see the grubby fingerprints of vested interests everywhere.
I always appreciate your eloquent contributions Kieran, this one in particular. You're like the Seamus Heaney of Substack, and I like that.
Yeats, Ian, always Yeats. Although I waffle more than Molly Bloom - and without the laughs too!
That's what "Olympics" is;
All 5 continents of the world competing fairly and without prejudice in sports...
But somehow it's got polluted by political crap !
Indeed, it did.
I wish it could happen but unfortunately the U.S. rules the world and that includes the I.O.C.
If the U.S. and its vassals don't want to compete against Russia then they should just stay away.
They prefer to subject Russia to public ridicule instead. The Western leaders are very good at thinking and behaving like petulant little children.
Group punishment is what people with small minds do.
OF COURSE Russia should fully be in the Olympics! Wow! I didn't know such a book existed! Putin's Defending of Christianity Against Globalism! Shocking what the MSM has kept from us. I TREASURE this book as I think it's the only one of its kind!!! https://www.lulu.com/shop/stephen-volk/putins-defending-of-christianity-from-globalism/ebook/product-v8gy62w.html?q=Putins+Defending+of+Christianity&page=1&pageSize=4
"LA Olympics"? The truth is thazt no other country should want to send their athletes to the gosh awful US. America should be sanctioned by the international community!
The Russians are better off out of it.
It's an excuse to project nationalist identity: "We're better than you, ner ner nee ner ner!"
Certainly that is how the BBC go about things. Show as many events as you can involving British competitors and only show events involving Johnny Foreigners if you have time to fill.
Then there's the pathological obsession with medals. I thought the Olympics was supposed to be about competing? Show Billy and Becky Bigarse coming last in the paired whatevers then.
I used to have neighbours who went to all the Olympics all over the world, 'to support Britain'. They didn't come across as sports enthusiasts. They just came across as petty nationalists.
The Olympics would be great if you removed country representation. Yes I've actually got out of my seat to roar at Victoria Pendleton, not because she was representing Britain, but because she'd just turned on the afterburners to produce the fastest bit of acceleration I've ever seen on a bicycle, from woman or man. OK, possibly not, the likes of Mark Cavendish in the Tour de France must have been quicker, but you tend to get head-on shots in TdF sprints, whereas in a velodrome you can see the acceleration instantly. Exhilarating to watch.
I was sad to learn of Chris Hoy's passing, not because we happened to share a country of birth (without even trying!), but because he was magnifique on a bike. Rest in peace Big Man.
The Tour de France is being ruined by increasing nationalism. Britain via the Ineos Grenadiers team. What sort of sicko calls a cycling team Grenadiers? Cyclists don't throw grenades at people, not even in London. GB, obsessed with war. The UAE. I'm so sick of seeing the word 'Emirates' – just piss off! And worst of all, Israel. Why they're allowed to have a team called Israel Start-up Nation in the Tour is beyond me. What do they start other than genocides?
And yet Victoria and the Cav were both Brits. :-) Mind you, grenade throwing in the TdF? Would certainly liven up the Netflix series!
I don't think Chris Hoy's dead just yet?
Yikes.
Mortified!
Misread something my dad had sent me.
Glad he's still alive but obviously still gutted about his diagnosis.
Thanks.
I say ban any country that has imperialist intentions.
Blimey, define that?
Well, any country that has a military base outside of their own country would clearly be a nation with imperialist intentions, so, as a rule, these countries would automatically be banned from the Olympics.