The Olympic games can be tool to promote social cohesion - opinion

Many researchers argue that international sporting competitions strengthen the sense of social cohesion and solidarity by bringing together people from different classes without discrimination, creating a sort of ethical utopia. 

The working assumption of some sports sociology researchers is that sport is the “great equalizer” because, on the starting line, before the opening whistle, all competitors have an equal opportunity.

However, the Olympic Games have historically served as a stage for promoting national, ideological, and political interests, and many athletes have viewed it as a fertile ground for various political protests, primarily due to the significant media attention the games receive.

This was the case with two of the winners in the 200-meter race final in 1968. 

In “one of the most overtly political statements in the history of the modern Olympics,” Tommie Smith and John Carlos, African-American athletes who ascended the winners’ podium barefoot, heads bowed, and eyes downcast, wearing black gloves on their hands.

During the raising of the American flag to the top of the mast and the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” the athletes raised their clenched fists inside the black gloves in protest, promoting “Black Power” (Smith later said it was to promote human rights). 

Smith and Carlos aimed to use sport as a tool for protest, and the medal ceremony provided a particularly suitable platform with the eyes of the entire world upon them.

This year’s Paris Olympic Games also offer immense exposure to various countries and political groups seeking a platform. 

An opportunity for unity 

Israeli athletes representing Israel have emphasized the importance of participation and their desire to reach the final stages and win Olympic medals, as this success could potentially have an integrative and unifying impact during the complex period Israel has experienced over the past year.

The Barcelona Games in 1992 marked a significant milestone in Israeli competitive sports, with Yael Arad and Oren Smadja winning Israel’s first Olympic medals – in judo. Arad, President of the Israeli Olympic Committee, and Smadja, coach of the judo team – whose son Omer was killed in Gaza last month and whose story has moved the Israeli nation – will be at the forefront of the Israeli delegation.

 Israel’s goal in the 2024 Olympics is not only to show improvement in Israeli sports and win medals but to reach as many finals as possible in various disciplines. 

This will be a stamp of quality and proof of the continued process of nurturing sports excellence in Israel. 

The Olympic athletes declared before their departure that they would do their utmost to achieve accomplishments that would help promote a sense of solidarity and self-efficacy among the country’s residents. 

All that remains for us is to support them from afar and keep our fingers crossed. Their success is our national pride.

The writer is a criminologist and senior lecturer at the Ashkelon Academic College.