The Olympics is the competition of the greatest athletes in the world, however, even though they are supposed to be an event of shared culture controversy and politics aren’t staying away from the games. Politics have been involved around the games for a long time, but the presence of controversy only grows. Athletes in the games are being affected by the controversies. They are also affecting the controversy as well, sometimes even starting it. The corporations running the games also bring controversy and affect the athletes. Looking through the history of the games you see that politics have, for better and worse, been alongside the competition. The Olympics has almost grown as time has progressed with the eras it has been in. Athletes …show more content…
It was where the best warriors and athletes competed (Rodden). Where people sought after fame, competition, and entertainment. It wasn't much different from today, only much different in the violence and sports coinciding. As we all know, however, the Roman empire fell and with it the Olympics fell as well.
Enter the International Olympic Committee which started as a volunteer group dreaming of recreating the Olympics (Rodden). In 1896 the first, recreated, games were held in Athens, Greece. Since then the games have grown to go across the world. One place of interest was the Berlin games of 1936. This was one of the first highly politicized games. The racist movements in Germany caused much hatred toward the games for supporting such an area. The games carried on though and Germany went on to win much of the Gold and the US winning a grand majority as well. Many controversies surround the Berlin games. Most surrounding Hitler and his demeanor around athletes. Hitler, however, “rarely met with athletes” (Rodden). Hitler in fact didn’t even want the Olympic games in Germany. He is said to have wanted a German only athletic carnival (Rodden). The International Olympic Committee had to bribe him in order to receive his cooperation. Though the games were in his country and he was seen as a “guest of honor” so to say, he wasn't present