The Olympic Games represent many things. Dignity, unity and respect are but a few of the characteristics that make the Olympics a global celebration.
Bringing professional athletes to the Games, which started happening only in the 1970’s, takes away from the importance of sportsmanship and honor, and results in a focus that remains purely on victory.
Winning can undoubtedly be important. That was proven true by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Games in Berlin. At that time, Hitler was sure that he would prove that Aryan racial superiority existed. Owens shattered that propaganda and won four Olympic gold medals.
However, that was a different time. Winning was tantamount to knocking an evil dictator off his perch, if only for a few days. Today, with professional athletes competing, the Games can become a joke. The 1992 Dream Team made a mockery of other teams, as players from other countries would have their pictures taken and get autographs from the players before the games.
The Olympics should be about amateur athletes doing what they do because they love it. We should follow stories like The Jamaican Bobsled Team in 1992 at Alberta, instead of being so caught up in proving superiority.
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