Written by Lekha A., Holden L., Priyanka P., & Natalie W.
“Olympic principles are United Nations principles” – Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
With the Opening Ceremonies for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics set to take place this Friday, it’s an important time to explore the history of the Olympics and understand how it relates to world events, international politics, and peace & diplomacy. This article will take you through stories of the role that the Olympics has played as a forum for international unity and change throughout the centuries, and help you find out how you can debate the future of the most anticipated international event at MUN Camp this summer!
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and their collaboration with the United Nations (UN) helps “in spreading the acceptance of sport as a means to promote internationally agreed development goals.” The goals refer to the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the UN has set through its “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” In 2015, when the agenda was established, sports were recognized as an “important enabler” of sustainable development, and as an important contributor to the fulfillment of growth and peace. The international status and weight the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee hold makes their collaboration important in creating an enjoyable Games experience and a sustainable future. Their partnership has also brought about major milestones in the history of sport, while also opening up new possibilities for sport to be used as a tool for promoting social change and sustainable development. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated, “Olympic principles are United Nations principles”.
The very first image that comes to mind when thinking of the Olympics is the classic five-ring symbol. Each ring represents a different continent, with all of them linked together in harmony forming the full symbol. The rings symbolize how the Olympics have always been recognized as a space for diplomacy, from the 2018 Winter Olympics where we saw the Koreas unite under one flag, to throughout the Cold War, as the U.S. and U.S.S.R. continued to peacefully compete with one another (mostly, aside from 1980, which we’ll get to later) despite the political tension between the two superpowers.
The Olympics & International Peace & Diplomacy
Let’s begin by diving into some of the most important events highlighting the bridge between the Olympics and international affairs.
776 BCE: To begin our timeline, we have to go way back – all the way back to when the Olympic games first started in ancient Greece. An ancient Greek chef from the city of Elis named Koroibos won a 600 meter foot race in Olympia, setting the stage for a competition that evolved into a huge sporting event occurring every 4 years for around 12 centuries! The Olympics served to promote peace between the often-warring political states of ancient Greece. Contrary to what many believe, wars were actually never paused for the games; rather, a truce was called wherein the city where the games were being held was protected, as were the people traveling to and from them. This was known as “ekecheiria”, meaning “laying down of arms”. It started 7 days before the games started and ended 7 days after they did. Ekecheiria shows how the games have long stood for peace and a time to come together in friendly competition between nations.
1980 Miracle on Ice
1948: Jumping forward a couple thousand years, let’s revisit how the Olympics played a part in the Cold War. After World War II, tensions began to rise between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Olympics became one of the many and major ways the countries competed against each other. While this strained the games’ ability to uphold their peaceful and cooperative nature, most notably demonstrated by the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the Games were still able to offer an international stage for both countries to demonstrate their strengths without violence. That’s a win in our book.
1992: The International Olympic Committee (IOC), with support from the UN, revived the Olympic Truce, a centuries-old and forgotten tradition that aimed to bring peace during the Olympic season. The truce was observed for the first time since its modern-era reintroduction during the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games.
2003: The UN General Assembly called upon “all Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee in its efforts to use the Olympic Truce as an instrument to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and beyond the Olympic Games period,” highlighting the games as a means toward international peace.
2009: The United Nations General Assembly granted the IOC Permanent Observer status, which allows them to be directly involved in the UN Agenda and to attend most UN General Assembly meetings. The IOC president at the time, Jacques Rogge, said, “The Olympic values clearly match with the UN philosophy. Today’s decision further strengthens the partnership between the IOC and the UN system.”
2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies
2018: Skip a few years ahead to 2018, and we can vividly recall the Korean Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony where the two Koreas walked in under one flag displaying the full Korean Peninsula. Their almost century-long conflict stemming from the Cold War has yet to be resolved, and even though it was a brief and symbolic moment, we all felt a powerful and moving sense of unity watching the teams come together to compete as one unified Korea.
The Olympics & Social Change
Aside from international politics and diplomatic relations, the Olympics has long served as a stage to both shine a spotlight and push for change on contemporary social issues. Although the Olympics started as and continues to be the ultimate international opportunity to display achievement in sports, over time it has also become a platform for protest and societal change.
1900: The Paris Olympics becomes the first to allow female athletes and Charlotte Cooper became the first woman to win an Olympic event by winning at singles and doubles tennis. However, women did not reappear at the Olympics again until 1924 when a vote formally admitted women into the Olympics.
Jesse Owens Wins Gold at the 1936 Olympics
1936: During the Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens, an African American, won four gold medals, set two new world records, and tied one more. His appearance and success at the games directly contradicted Hitler’s agenda, which was further highlighted and amplified by Owens’ friendship with German competitor Luz Long. Owen’s stunning performance broke stereotypes and barriers for people of color and kicked off a new era in the Olympics.
1964 – 1996: In effort to combat racism and discriminatory practices, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to ban South Africa from 1964 – 1992 to take a political stand against Apartheid. This is considered one of the most famous Olympic bans and only ended once apartheid negotiations began in South Africa.
1980: In 1980, the United States led a boycott on the Moscow Summer Olympics after the Soviet Union refused to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan following the 1979 invasion. U.S. allies, including Canada, West Germany, and Japan followed suit and joined the boycott, which symbolized commitment against the actions and principles of the anti-democratic regime.
2012: 2012 marked the very first year in which every single delegation in the Olympics sent at least one woman to the Olympics. That’s definitely a win! Although women have faced major setbacks and enormous barriers in athletics, women have risen to the challenge and continued to fight for their rights.
2016 Refugee Olympic Team
2016: Ten refugee athletes were selected to compete for the first ever Refugee Olympic Team at the Rio Olympics, a team created by the IOC to bring the refugee crisis into the spotlight. Athletes entered carrying the Olympic flag and were originally from Syria, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the DRC.
The Future of the Olympics
Students Debate the Future of the Olympics @ MUN Camp!
From the ancient Greeks to the modern world, protection and unification has always been present throughout the Olympic Games. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated, “Olympic principles are United Nations principles”. From 2021 and beyond, we sincerely hope that the Olympics will serve as a forum to unite the international community once again, especially as we look toward recovering from COVID-19 and today’s greatest global challenges.
It must however be noted that the Olympics and the treatment of the games’ athletes have also received disapproval throughout history. Female Black athletes faced discrimination when the International Swimming Federation banned Soul Cap, which is a swim cap designed for Black swimmers with thick natural hair, for use in the 2021 Olympic Games. Hopefully, in the future, rules and regulations will continue to adapt to give respect to all cultures and communities, especially those that continue to face discrimination. At MUN Camp, delegates have already started to work toward solutions on these issues – check out just a few of their opening speeches!
Cuba & Serbia Opening Speech Videos
Are you interested in stepping into the shoes of your favorite Olympic countries and debating the future of today’s most anticipated global event: the Olympics? Look no further than the final weeks of MUN Camp this summer! Register now to secure your spot!
