The Paris Olympic Games wrapped up on Sunday as it had started, with a call for peace. However, the Olympic ideal wasn’t always enough to dispel the specter of conflict and division throughout the 17-day Games.
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, spectators were able to watch all the events and most venues were running at full capacity.
Athletes were happy to have their families and colleagues close at hand, which they were denied at the Tokyo Games due to pandemic restrictions.
But it wasn’t all plain sailing. Online abuse became a serious issue during the Games.
When Japan’s men’s volleyball team lost to Italy after a close match, players faced a barrage of criticism on social media. Many other athletes and even referees were subjected to abusive comments.
Wars and conflicts around the world also cast a long shadow over the Games. Russian and Belarusian athletes weren’t allowed to represent their country, due to Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
They competed instead as “individual neutral athletes.”
When they won medals, there was no national flag at the ceremony.
Israeli athletes didn’t face any such restrictions, despite the conflict in Gaza.
The Palestine Olympic Committee called for Israel to be banned from the Games, saying it was violating a UN resolution calling for an Olympic truce. But the International Olympic Committee refused the request.
Israel’s participation drew protests during the Games. A man attending one of the protests said he could not allow double standards.
For Thibaut de Navecelle de Coubertin, watching the Paris Games brought mixed feelings.
He is a descendant of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, known as the Father of the Modern Olympics, who established the event in the late 19th century hoping for a better, more peaceful world through sports.
Thibaut de Navecelle de Coubertin said to NHK: “Sports should be separated from politics and should never be used as a tool for political propaganda. The Olympics are designed to reduce tensions that have risen between people due to a lack of mutual understanding.”
He emphasized that in such a tense global climate, the Olympic ideal is all the more important.