Station the Olympics

Tiny Tibet’s shadow looms large over the Beijing Olympics. Though an outright boycott by any major participant remains, as yet, a remote possibility, the atmosphere is already vitiated. Whatever the reasons, it is not a happy development for any sports lover.

The Olympics have a history of being used like a ping-pong ball in the game of diplomacy. In the post-World War II era at the 1948 London games, former foes Germany and Japan were not invited, and curiously the Soviet Union abstained. China boycotted the games for 24 years subsequent to Taiwan’s inclusion in the 1956 Olympics. Then, 30 African countries boycotted the 1976 games held in Montreal to protest against New Zealand’s inclusion despite its rugby team having toured South Africa, then a pariah thanks to apartheid. The 1980 Moscow Olympics were boycotted by over 60 countries to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The communist bloc returned the compliment in 1984 at the Los Angeles games. Whether one likes it or not, the sad truth is that any ongoing international conflict could spell doom for the games if politics were allowed to interfere. All round participation could then only be ensured in a conflict-free world. But the Olympics are not supposed to celebrate the realisation of world peace. They are an instrument to achieve that ideal.

But how to insulate the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza from the vagaries of world politics? Well, one way is to make a country like Switzerland, with its history of neutrality, the permanent Olympic venue. But the alpine country is small and may not be willing to take such a huge burden upon itself. So, the next best solution is to give this honour to India. India’s record in the promotion of world peace needs no elaboration. Its Olympic record is even more sparkling.

Having participated uninterruptedly since 1928 without many medals, India perfectly exemplifies the Olympic spirit, which found echo in Pierre de Coubertin’s famous words, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part”. India, with its size, climate and growing economy fits the bill perfectly as a permanent home for the games. As for the country itself, this proposal would not only bring economic benefits but also establish it as a soft superpower. One is not even talking of the fillip that sports here would get.