There is no other event in the world like the Olympics. If you had never heard of it before, the idea of nearly every country in the world plus several other states and delegations sending their best athletes to contend in friendly competition for a chance at a medal that weighs just over a pound seems impossible.
Today, there are over 110 international armed conflicts across the world. The fact that a nearly 3,000-year tradition has persisted as long as it has with only three interruptions for some of the greatest conflicts in world history makes the Olympics seem like the great unifier of human beings.
However, conflict persists during the events. These conflicts can be individual, political or on a global stage, which is why the Olympics’ impact extends far beyond the realm of sport.
Bronze medalist in Women’s Rugby Sevens, Ilona Maher, has become one of the most well-known names at the Olympics for her dominance on the pitch and inclusive messaging on social media. Maher has just fewer than 4.5 million combined followers across Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, and has used her platform to empower women of all body types.
Body shaming is inherent to sexism as it exists currently. It affects everyone of all forms, and Maher, having been body-shamed herself, has been a beacon for all women to feel powerful in their bodies.
Another form of adversity that has been overcome through the Olympics has been racism. Following the United States Men’s Basketball team’s exhibition match against South Sudan, which came down to a shot at the final moments from LeBron James for the USA to pull through, former NBA player turned podcaster Gilbert Arenas made his voice heard.
“We (the United States) almost lost to the Ahi Ahi Tribe,” Arenas said. “They don't even have shoes — they get their shoes from America! We gotta ship them shoes.”
The racism in Arenas’ claims is evident. South Sudan’s roster is filled with contracted professional basketball players, including several current and former NBA players, which is largely why they are the only African team to represent the continent in men’s basketball.
Arenas’ comments were unwarranted, uneducated and racist to say the least, and the success South Sudan has had in the Olympics has made them one of the easiest to root for underdogs in the event.
The biggest example of overcoming adversity and the impacts the Olympics have on the world beyond sports is in the simple fact that there are eight Palestinian athletes at the event.
The number of Palestinian athletes on its own is a representation of the apartheid regime that Palestine and the Gaza Strip have been subject to. The Palestinian Olympic Committee reports around 350 professional athletes have been killed in just the past 10 months, while they’ve called for Israel, the occupying force in Palestine, to be banned from the Olympics.
The fight for Palestinians is not over, but their eight representatives are among the bravest athletes on Earth, to come and represent their country to the best of their abilities during this tumultuous period in world history.
All of these examples build upon one another to show the fact that the Olympics are for much more than sport. It is the only time in which the inhabitants of nearly every country can turn and focus on the same thing making it the ultimate platform for these athletes to show who they are, where they come from and what they stand for.
Logan Adams is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Logan know by tweeting him @LoganA_NBA.
