Double standards of IOC: Shifting sands of realpolitik for sporting mega-events
“Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal.” This is how the resolution, which echoes the Olympic Truce, adopted every two years by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) reads on paper. But does it have a real, tangible meaning, or is it merely a handful of words stringed together to fill in the blanks?
The age-old proverb which advocates that ‘actions speak louder than words’ definitely rings true here. And in this regard, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) actions, not surprisingly, are often self-contradictory.
The IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
Russian athletes will compete at the upcoming Paris 2024 Games as individual, neutral athletes – without the Russian flag or national anthem – due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began more than two years ago.
Meanwhile, Israel – who are preparing to launch an offensive in Gaza’s Rafah at the time of writing – and its athletes won’t be facing any similar restrictions when they arrive in Paris this summer.
At the heart of all these contradictions is a complex web of geopolitics that will no doubt play a huge role in who gets to do what in the French capital come the Summer Olympics.
The farce that is the Olympic Truce
The IOC has stated that Russian athletes will compete as neutrals this summer due to Russia breaking the Olympic Truce in 2022 by invading Ukraine just as the Winter Olympics in Beijing concluded.
They conveniently did not mention Russia violating the Olympic Truce back in 2014 by commencing Crimea’s annexation during the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.
Vladimir Putin ordered Crimea’s invasion during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games hosted in Sochi, Russia (Image source: Getty Images)
In addition, they didn’t have any moral qualms in awarding the 2022 Winter Games to a host country that engages in suppressing Uighur Muslims, Tibetans, Hong Kong’s democracy, and lays dubious claims on India’s sovereign territory.
Dr. Jules Boykoff, Chair of the Politics and Government Department at Pacific University, Oregon, pointed out the inherently hollow nature of the Olympic Truce and the selective manner in which it is enforced.
Logo of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games on display in Beijing (Image source: Getty Images)
“It is a symbolic non-binding agreement that the UN passes every couple of years. You don’t really need to obey it. The US didn’t slow down the war in Iraq or Afghanistan, and the IOC never said a word about it,” he remarked.
When it comes to Israel, the Olympic Truce seemingly doesn’t apply as the Israel-Gaza conflict didn’t strictly start during an Olympic period, and therefore the playing field at Paris 2024 is slightly tilted in favour of Israeli athletes.
If one analyses this line of logic closely, it looks like the IOC is willing to overlook crimes against humanity as long as they are committed outside of an Olympic period (along with relevant caveats as and when necessary).
IOC’s blinkered view on territorial integrity of nations
Another reason given by the IOC for the restrictions on Russian athletes is that Russia annexed Ukrainian territory that included Ukrainian sports clubs – an action that outraged the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and by extension its National Olympic Committee.
But, the IOC’s blinkered executives failed to acknowledge the territorial integrity of Palestine being outraged by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) when football stadiums were destroyed and the Yarmouk Stadium was turned into an internment camp.
An Israeli military tank makes its way towards Gaza (Image source: Getty Images)
“Every single football stadium in Gaza has either been demolished entirely or pretty significantly destroyed,” said Dr. Boykoff.
Celebrated sports writer, broadcaster and academic David Goldblatt also highlighted the immense leeway that is afforded to Israel.
“I personally think they (Israel) have been given an outrageous free ride by international sporting bodies,” remarked Goldblatt.
Protest in Paris against Israel’s participation at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games (Image source: Getty Images)
In addition to the decimation and occupation of sporting facilities, Israeli airstrikes killed Palestine’s Olympic football team assistant coach, Hani Al-Masdar.
But still no restrictions have been announced by the IOC for Israeli athletes, who will arrive in the City of Light in less than three months for the Games of the 33rd Olympiad.
“They (the IOC) have hidden behind this veil of fake neutrality, and now look at the situation that they are in,” said Dr. Boykoff, referring to the IOC’s lack of spine in dealing decisively with pressing global issues.
Wake up to reality: Realpolitik dictates sporting mega-events
Having a balanced approach is something that the IOC needs to consider in the truest sense of the word. Shifting the goalposts for different nations won’t do Thomas Bach and co. any favours in the long run.
Bach intends to extend his tenure as IOC president beyond the maximum permissible limit of 12 years – which was agreed after the Salt Lake City corruption scandal.
“The hypocrisy is running thick in Olympic circles and has for a long time,” said Dr. Boykoff, adding, “There are four open investigations into corruption around the Paris Olympics as we speak.”
IOC President Thomas Bach (centre) and Paris 2024 organising chief Tony Estanguet (left) visit the Olympic Village (Image source: Getty Images)
Add to this the latest example of the IOC discriminating between Russian and Israeli athletes, and one can quite clearly witness the realpolitik hidden behind the veil of sporting celebration that the IOC so dearly advocates.
Goldblatt succinctly sums up the situation in Lausanne as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games beckon athletes and spectators from all over the globe.
“Double standards are not just a product of bad moral choices, but also the reality of politics.”
