Yes, the Olympics are the worst. We should love them anyway
Rare global venue for female, disabled athletes
The Tokyo Olympics haven't even started and already they're mired in controversy. From U.S. track superstar Sha'carri Richardson's cannabis suspension to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) refusal to sanction Iran and a ban on swim caps for Black hair, there's plenty of outrage to go around.
Some moral purists gesture wildly at such events, using them to argue the Olympics should be cancelled. However, if they took a moment to really think about it, they'd realize cancelling the Olympics would undermine their own goals of a better, more equitable and fairer world of sports.
The Olympics matter because they provide a rare global-scale opportunity to bring light to not just sporting, but political and social issues that otherwise fly under the radar. With so many eyes on the event, and so many brands and governments deeply invested in its success, systems that are heavily resistant to change suddenly become less so.
If it weren't for the Games, approximately zero people would be talking about nonsensical and discriminatory doping rules, Iranian athletes as political activists, or the barriers Black women face in the swimming world. Instead, these topics are headline news and subjects of household debate.
Many people fail to realize that the problems that plague the Olympics every few years plague athletes all the time. They impact every level of sport, from those who play professionally to collegiate competitors and kids at their very first swim meet or soccer match.
Mainstream media and fans mostly overlook issues faced by female athletes, BIPOC athletes, athletes outside of the Big Four sports leagues, and even NCAA athletes who operate under oppressive contracts. That all changes when the Olympics come around.
Outside the Games, the average person barely pays attention to women's sports at all. Yet look at the most buzzed-about names heading into Tokyo: Simone Biles, Megan Rapinoe, Allyson Felix, Naomi Osaka, Sue Bird and basically the entire U.S. women's basketball team, Penny Oleksiak, Rosie Maclennan, Sky Brown, Alex Morgan, and pre-doping scandal Sha'carri Richardson.
The idea that women's sports simply aren't as exciting has never looked so outdated. In the bigger picture, more women will compete at Tokyo than in any other Olympics in history, making up almost half of the total athlete count.
As a result, the 2020 (now 2021) Summer Games may finally be the turning point for longstanding issues in women's sports, such as equal media coverage and pay. Many female Olympians are also speaking up on issues involving mental health, motherhood, sexual abuse in sport, gender discrimination, racism, homophobia, and a variety of other social justice concerns.
Notably, their complaints aren't just disappearing into the void. They're being heard, and even acted upon.
The Olympics also provides visibility to physically and intellectually disabled athletes via the Paralympics and Special Olympics. Again, these are two disenfranchised groups who otherwise rarely experience the spotlight. The Games spark conversations about funding and access, refugees' role in society, child abuse, and inclusion.
As COVID-19 disproportionately impacts people with disabilities, these concerns are more important than ever. Without the Olympics, they may otherwise get lost in the noise. Rather, governments and corporate brands alike are stepping up to recognize them and provide funding for supports.
The Games are also a vehicle for human rights reform. Historically, they helped end South African apartheid, protest the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, and present a united front against terrorism in Munich.
Recently, they've been an opportunity to scrutinize the human rights records of host nations, including Brazil and China. The upcoming 2022 Beijing Games will present Western nations a valuable chance to hold China to account for its genocide against Uyghurs, arbitrary detention of the two Michaels, and widespread repressive regime.
Are the Olympics a shining beacon of international harmony, equal opportunity, and unbiased competition as their branding claims? No, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. A perfect Olympic organization would only serve to obscure systemic issues in sport and broader society.
The Games matter because they reflect both the beauty and ugliness of athletics, politics, and humanity on a scale that's impossible to ignore. After all, the first step towards solving problems is to see them.
THE 2020 GAMES MAY FINALLY BE THE TURNING POINT FOR LONGSTANDING ISSUES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.