Tokyo 2021 Olympics: From Games to Social Issues

IMAGES, GETTY. 2021

Abstract

On July 23rd, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games began, bringing with it games and competition, as well as raising various social issues. The event, which should have taken place in 2020, has been postponed to 2021 and several new measures are being taken due to the pandemic that the world is facing. Daily COVID-19 tests, waiting hours at the airport, high bureaucracy, quarantine, are just a few precautions taken. The event, one more time in history, reflects its own time and historical issues.

Introduction

It is correct to affirm that the 2020 Olympics are historical due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the great event, in 1896, it reflects international issues. Hosting the Olympics is a great billboard of the country to the world, demonstrating the capacities of the country and its beauty, in a clear attempt to improve the “nation branding”. More than this, the Olympics games are a space for soft power disputes, in a continuous attempt to influence the world.

The sport is used by countries to show its superiority in the world, seeking for more medals to prove the greatness of the country. This attracts the eyes of billions of people, being a place that some athletes use to manifest some political issues of their countries or of the world. The Olympics reflects the world and the world stops to watch one of the biggest sports competitions worldwide.

Olympics and the History

The modern olympic games began in the XIX century, in 1896, thanks to Pierre de Coubertin, also known as Baron de Coubertin, who is the founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organization responsible for the olympics, created in 1894 (IOC, 2021). The first modern Olympic Games occurred in Athens, celebrating the old greek sport competition, with 241 athletes from 14 countries (IOC, 2021). The fifth edition of the competition, which was supposed to happen in 1916, was not held, due to the First World War (1914-198), demonstrating that when an olympic game does not happen, it is a symptom that something serious is happening in the world (GAVINI, 2020).

In 1936, the olympic games was held in Berlin, Germany’s capital. Since the beginning of the 1930’s decade, Adolf Hitler was heading the nazi regime in the country, so that the olympic game was used as a showcase of the superiority of the “aryan race” (MOSTARO, 2012). Therefore, the german athletes should be the best, although, the afro-american athlete, Jesse Owens, was the big highlight of the competition, winning four gold medals - 100 and 200 meter dash, 4×100 meter relay and long jump, overcoming Luz Long, who was one of the german great expectations (MOSTARO, 2012). To the nazi regime, it was a shame, in view of the declared racism of Hitler and all its ideology (MOSTARO, 2012).

The year of 1968 is one of the most relevant to the XX century (Araújo et al., 2018). In France, millions of people went to the street asking to improve their living conditions, in a movement called May 68 (Araújo et al., 2018). In the United States (U.S), Martin Luther King, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in 1964 and of the most relevant name of the anti-racist movement in the country, was murdered, demonstrating the caotic situation of the racial issue in the U.S (GESSAT, 2021). Two years before the murder of Martin Luther King, the Black Panther movement, was created by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, which was a group that proclaimed the “Black Power”, using armed and physical self-defense against the repression of the police against afro-americans, as well as civil disobedience (CHAVES, 2015). The symbol of the movement is one arm raised up with a clenched fist (CHAVES, 2015).

In 1968, at the Mexico City Olympic Games, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, both afro-americans, won, respectively, the gold and the bronze medal in the 200 meters dash (GQ, 2016). They raised up one arm with a clenched fist, protesting for millions of people about the situation of their country (GQ, 2016). It is important to say that the IOC prohibits any kind of political manifestation, therefore, Smith and Carlos were kicked out of the Olympic games of 1968 (GQ, 2016).

The relations between the Israel State, since its creation in 1948, and Palestine has always been tense (SILVA; PHILIPPINI, 2017). 5 years before the Olympics of Munich (1972), in 1967, the Six-day War has occured, between Israel and Palestin, and one year after the olympic games of Munich, in 1973, the Yom Kippur has occured between the same states, resulting in the 1973 oil crisis, demonstrating a moment of very high tension between Israel and Palestine (SILVA; PHILIPPINI, 2017). In the Munich Olympic Games, 8 palestinians terrorists invaded the Olympic Village, kidnapped 11 athletes and, in confrontation with the police, all hostages, five terrorists and one cop was killed (QUEIROZ, 2021). The terrorists demanded the release of 200 israels’s palestinian prisoners (QUEIROZ, 2021). This episode is one of the best representations of international politics in the Olympics (QUEIROZ, 2021).

In 1979, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) invaded Afghanistan, rekindling the cold war, which was relatively stable since the détente years (BEST, MAIOLO; SCHULZE, 2015). In 1980, Moscow hosted the Olympic Games, and, due to the USSR invasion in Afghanistan, the US boycotted the Olympic Games (GAVINI, 2020). On the other hand, in the Los Angeles Olympic Games, in 1984, the USSR boycotted the event (GAVINI, 2020). In the Seoul Olympic Games, in 1988, North Korea and Cuba boycotted (GAVINI, 2020). All boycotts have political motivations and used to make the Olympic Games “empty” - with few athletes, in a protest against the host of the games (GAVINI, 2020).

Olympic Games, Soft Power and Nation Branding

Sport has a social function, considering its capacity to attract young people, giving them a role of relevance and improving many natural abilities, being able to distance them from illicit and dangerous activities (ABI-EÇAB, 2017). Yet, as well as any activity that has a social function, it needs investments, not only financial support, but also psychological and moral, fostering a “culture of sport” (ABI-EÇAB, 2017). Therefore, there are countries which have advantages in this regard.

The US, for example, has more than 2.500 medals - more than the triple of the second place, Germany (MSN, 2021) . Of the 20 countries with more medals, 14 of them are rich countries, with many financial resources available. It is important to highlight that support for the sports is not just an initiative from the State, but also a private initiative. Thus, big sports companies, like Nike, Adidas, Puma, Mizune and others, sponsor many athletes, specially those in the richest countries, which have the infrastructure and the support for their athletes.

Thus, this explains why rich countries are the ones with the best performances in the Olympic Games, revealing a great support for social development projects and the ability to strategically mobilize large amounts of money. That said, the performance in the Olympic Games is an instrument of soft power, that is, the capacity to influence the preferences of the countries in the international scenario (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). In other words, the country has the legitimacy to order in some issues, like economic development, human development Index, because the country is a successful example about these issues (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020).

The host of Olympic Games is, always, a country with many financial resources, becoming eligible to host a mega event, with thousands of people involved, so that the country needs a dynamic and efficient logistics network (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). A successful Olympic Games means a good signal to all of those who wish to invest in the country, due to the demonstration of the ability to deal with great projects (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). The realization of the Olympics is an exercise to expand the country and attract eyes from all the world to an universe of opportunities to big companies and, more than this, the expansion of the national companies to the world, carrying the seal of having been forged in a country that was successful in hosting the Olympics (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). More than this, this plays a key role in the soft power of the country (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020).

Another benefit of hosting an Olympic Game, is attracting the eyes of tourists from all over the world, in an effort to show its unique landscapes, its unique culture, with its own musics, foods, parties, ways to behave (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). In the last Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, the city received about one million and one hundred seventy thousand tourists, adding over $100 million a day to the city (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). More than this, each tourist that likes the city, generally, presents a good image of the city to your social networks, influencing more people to meet the country (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020).

When the host of the Olympic Games attracts investments and tourists, the country is improving its nation branding (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). This concept concerns one State selling its image to the civilians of other countries (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020). For that, the country needs an action plan to deal with the super exposition, acting with diplomats to facilitate tourism between countries, to encourage as many participants as possible in the Olympic Games, to get investments to build all the infrastructure and attract long term business (BELINI; UEHARA, 2020).

Tokyo 2020 Olympic games

The fact that the Olympics are not happening 4 years after the last Olympic Games, demonstrates the atypical moment that humanity is facing. With almost 4.2 million dead, the COVID-19 pandemic is a moment of humanitarian crisis, and, Tokyo is dealing with record numbers of COVID-19 diagnosis, questioning the realization of the Olympics in this context (G1, 2021). Anyway, the realization of the Olympics always positively affects the population perception of the country, in a political movement to entertain and prove its capacities to deal with adversities. More than States overcoming some troubles, there are several athletes that represent with glory the social function of the sport. Anyway, it takes time to analyse the balance of the event.

Since the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, there has been a refugee representation in the competition, with athletes with no country, no homeland, becoming a refugee for a variety of reasons, especially risk of their lives (COSTA, 2021). The team represents more than 80 million refugees around the world (COSTA, 2021). Their flag colours are orange and black, the colours of life jackets (COSTA, 2021). In Rio, there were 10 athletes, in Tokyo, on the other hand, there are 35, showing the world the talents of people that suffered a lot in their lives, being helpless in the most diverse ways (COSTA, 2021). One more time, the sport is exerting its social function.

The person responsible for carrying the flag of the refugee representations in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is Yusra Mardini, a Syrian refugee (MERRELL, 2021). In 2015, due to the civil war in its country, Yusra, her family and some friends tried to move out from Syria, but, their boat started to sink, and, thus, Yusra and other people had to swim for 3 and a half hours, in a heroic act to save dozens of people (MERRELL, 2021). At first, the syrian was traumatized with water, however, Yusra became an olympic athlete for the refugee representation (MERRELL, 2021). The athlete is a spokesperson for millions of people that all its talents were erased by situations that harm human dignity.

The pandemic generated a global economic crisis, hampering thousands of athletes to consistently develop their skills for the Olympic Games, specially in the poorest countries. In Brazil, for example, the winner of the bronze medal in the Men's 200m Freestyle, Fernando Scheffer could not swim in gymnasiums - they were closed due to the pandemics, and, to overcome the situation, he trained in weirs and dams (G1 RS, 2021). More than ever, the athletes had to superate unthinkable adversities, demonstrating the force of them.

Conclusion

Olympic Games can be a political and power source, nevertheless, they are an “ode to the human being”, more then ever. Millions of people died, poor training conditions, fear and, above all, humans intending to show the talents of mankind. With more investments, the stage of the beauty of sport can be shared by everyone.

ABI-EÇAB, Alice. A função social do esporte na construção identitária dos sujeitos. SERV. SOC. REV., LONDRINA, V. 19, N.2, P. 45-62, JAN/JUL. 2017. Disponível em:(PDF) A função social do esporte na construção identitária dos sujeitos (researchgate.net). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

ARAÚJO, Maria Paula et al. 1968 - um ano múltiplo. Revista do Instituto Humanitas Unisinos, Nº 521 | Ano XVIII | 7/5/2018. Disponível em: IHUOnlineEdicao521.pdf (unisinos.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

BELINI, Lais Santos; UEHARA, Alexandre. JOGOS OLÍMPICOS TÓQUIO 2020 E O SOFT POWER E NATION BRANDING DO JAPÃO. Fundação Japão em São Paulo, 2020. Disponível em: texto-alexandre-uehara-lais-santos-v2-1.pdf (fjsp.org.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

BEST, Antony; HANHIMAKI, Jussi; MAIOLO, Joseph; SCHULZE, Kirsten E. International History of the XX century and beyond. 3rd edition. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2015.

CHAVES, Wanderson da Silva. O Partido dos Panteras Negras. Topoi (Rio J.), Rio de Janeiro, v. 16, n. 30, p. 359-364, jan./jun. 2015. Disponível em: https://www.scielo.br/j/topoi/a/TvmkYWQhmtkPMGZWBZzgp9c/?format=pdf. Acesso em 29/07/2021.

COSTA, Kariane. Triplica o número de refugiados participantes das Olimpíadas no Japão. RadioagênciaNacional, 2021. Disponível em: Triplica o número de refugiados participantes das Olimpíadas no Japão | Radioagência Nacional (ebc.com.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

GAVINI, Fernando. 1916, 1940 e 1944: as Olimpíadas canceladas pelas guerras. Olimpíada todo dia, 2021. Disponível em: Olimpíadas canceladas pelas guerras mundiais: 1916, 1940 e 1944 (olimpiadatododia.com.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

GAVINI, Fernando. Guerra Fria tirou o brilho de Moscou-1980 e Los Angeles-1984. Olimpíada todo dia, 2020. Disponível em: Conheça a história dos boicotes nos Jogos Olímpicos (olimpiadatododia.com.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

GESSAT, Rachel. 1968: Martin Luther King é assassinado. DW, 2021. Disponível em: 1968: Martin Luther King é assassinado | Fatos que marcaram o dia | DW | 04.04.2018. Acesso em 29/07/2021.

GQ. Panteras Negras: a história do gesto mais famoso dos Jogos Olímpicos. GQ, 2016. Disponível em: Panteras Negras: a história do gesto mais famoso dos Jogos Olímpicos - GQ | GQ no pódio (globo.com). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

G1 RS. Preparação de Fernando Scheffer para as Olimpíadas teve treino em açude; veja vídeo. G1 RS, 2021. Disponível em: Preparação de Fernando Scheffer para as Olimpíadas teve treino em açude; veja vídeo | Rio Grande do Sul | G1 (globo.com). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE. INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE. International Olympic Committee, 2021. Disponível em: International Olympic Committee - History, Principles & Financing (olympics.com). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

MERRELL, Chloe. Why Yusra Mardini's story should inspire the world. International Olympic Committee, 2021. Disponível em: Yusra Mardini: A refugee athlete story to inspire (olympics.com). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

MOSTARO, Filipe Fernandes Ribeiro. Jogos Olímpicos de Berlim 1936: o uso do esporte para fins nada esportivos. Comunicação e Entretenimento: Práticas Sociais, Indústrias e Linguagens. Vol.19, Nº 01, 1º semestre 2012. Disponível em: (7) (PDF) Jogos Olímpicos de Berlim 1936: o uso do esporte para fins nada esportivos | Filipe Mostaro - Academia.edu. Acesso em 29/07/2021.

MSN. Confira os países com mais medalhas olímpicas na história. msn, 2021. Disponível em: Confira os países com mais medalhas olímpicas na história (msn.com). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

QUEIROZ, Claudinei. Atentado terrorista mancha as Olimpíadas de Munique-1972. FOLHA DE S.PAULO, 2021. Disponível em: Atentado terrorista mancha as Olimpíadas de Munique-1972 - 27/07/2021 - Esporte - Agora (uol.com.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.

SILVA, João Ubiratan de Lima e; PHILIPPINI, Ruth Aparecida Salles. ISRAEL E PALESTINA: DA “TERRA SANTA” A UM TERRITÓRIO EM CONFLITO. Revista Ciência Contemporânea jun./dez. 2017, v.2, n.1, p. 163 - 180. Disponível em: 20180301125215.pdf (uniesp.edu.br). Acesso em 29/07/2021.