The Olympic Games traditionally provide an opportunity for the hosting city to showcase its culture and various charms and amenities, as was proved to positive effect here during the Winter Olympics of 2002. Given the controversies surrounding the upcoming games in Rio de Janeiro, it will be a challenge for these Olympics to reward the people of Brazil with a stage on which to present a positive image to the world. This is unfortunate, because it is a rich and vibrant culture that ought to be sampled and appreciated by Olympics onlookers.
Discussion of environmental concerns, the presence of the Zika virus and an ongoing doping scandal threaten to overshadow coverage of the competition and surrounding festival, as they have dominated news coverage leading up to the opening ceremonies. These are serious matters worthy of debate and concern, but for two weeks they can properly take second stage to the grand orchestration of an international athletic competition the host country has labored so hard to facilitate. That should happen for the sake of the athletes there to compete, for the people of Rio who wish to welcome the world with pride and for all of us who might appreciate a respite from a continuum of tragic and unsettling news of conflict, strife and suffering.
Some would argue that the grim challenges of the current world shouldn’t be subordinate to what amounts to an outsize sporting festival. We don’t disagree, but the Olympics have always been a platform for unity and an opportunity to collectively look past geopolitical turmoil, at least for a week or two.
We recall the opening ceremonies of the Salt Lake games, just five months after the attacks on the World Trade Center. When the torch was lit at Rice-Eccles Stadium, armed agents surrounded the arena as surveillance aircraft hovered overhead. There was talk of canceling the Salt Lake games, just as there was talk of canceling the games in Rio. But they went forward and were among the most successful games in the modern Olympic era. They were a boon for Utah’s international image, as well as a momentary salve for a troubled nation.
The Rio Olympics offer an important and topical platform to discuss issues relevant to the environment, crime, terrorism, wealth inequality and whatever else one might wish to tie to the backdrop of a track and field event or a basketball game. But it’s important to remember they are called “games” for a reason. The Olympics have long been about nations putting aside their differences to gather in an atmosphere of optimism and healthy competition, a tradition we expect to see carried forward with flair in Rio de Janeiro.