This concept of an "event" is what creates the drama as the International Sport Organisations in effect take care of themselves. To illustrate this important point, the question put, is where would any Olympic host city get the officials to run any of the Olympic events? Answer - the same place as the respective sport World Cups, from within the Sport themselves.
In effect, the Olympic events are run on very similar lines to the various sport World Cup events. The Olympic situation is that the sports come together every four years in what is an Olympic "event".
The London Olympic organisers therefore recognise that the International Sport Organisations themselves ensure the athletic components run smoothly.
The public face
Therein lies the public spectacle. We all enjoy the sporting contests. The competitive nature of sport is a sure fire way to get athletic performance and there are both Olympic and World records to strive toward.
Having acknowledged the sport context of an Olympics, the reality is that the sport component is only a small part of it all as there is the international "event", the corporate "event" and the "city" event.
We've already witnessed something of the International event with Iran bitterly complaining to London regarding the London Olympic Logo. Iran complained that the symbol's design (architecture) made up the word ZION. Yes, if you looked at it with your 3D glasses and at a 45% horizontal angle, and then peered at it at an 80% vertical angle, you could make out ZION. We all wait with baited breath whether Iran boycotts. The internet is already running wild with this, as if to say, who cares?
I for one do care, as it affects athletes who wait for four years to be part of an Olympic event. I recall all to readily the 1980 Moscow Olympics when the Australian Hockey team boycotted the Olympics, the era when the Australian men's team was at its zenith and those players lost an Olympic experience and moreover, more than likely an Olympic gold medal.
The Olympic Games however is a sitting duck for political statements. The 1972 Munich Olympics illustrated this with the murder of 11 Israeli athletes. Many African nations boycotted the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The USA and many sports boycotted Moscow in 1984 and then it was tit for tat in 1984 with the USSR and many of its satellite WARSAW PACT countries following suit. Romania and Poland stood firm though.
And who can forget that 'Yes Prime Minister' program where one could not sit international delegates at the former PM's funeral in alphabetical order. It is no different with the seating at an Olympic opening and closing ceremony. The International "event" is drama pact from beginning to end.
The nature of the Olympic event
The Corporate "event" is the lawyer's hay-making. The sentiment of the song, Money, Money, Money – has nothing on the Olympic corporate event. Look at the millions of dollars media conglomerates pay for the right to televise Olympic sports. Look at every major company wanting to have their corporate name associated with the Olympics, and the drama associated with keeping others out of the financial celebration. And there is more, every advertising banner around every venue means more money. And it goes on and on and on.
The "City" event is likewise drama packed. Politicians for some reason like to be associated with their City's Olympic Event. Strange that!! The Olympic Village is kept very separate from the community largely due to security reasons, and herein lies another headache for Olympic officials. Security needs to be right on the mark. Every security officer is trained to be on the alert for anything or anyone suspicious and this has all the hallmarks for disastrous public relations where an over zealous officer can make a city very upset very quickly. Yet that same officer who misses the mark ….. we can only imagine.
Perhaps the most significant of all at an Olympic "event" is the city's combined Christian outreach, under the banner "More than Gold". The Salvation message of Jesus Christ is couched in terminology that says there is something available that is of more value than even a Gold Medal (moreover there is only one Gold Medal for each event – kind of leaves everyone else out of the picture).
The Salvation of Jesus Christ is not something one can earn or deserve, nor is it something for which one needs to be submitting to rules and regulations, rather it is something God provided for as a free gift to each person seeking repentance and inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives as a new Master and Lord.
The Olympic "event" provides a global opportunity to share this message and its done in many and various means from street drama all the way to an Olympians rally where Christian sport stars tell their story how Jesus Christ changed their lives. My humble request is that the followers of Jesus simply pray for these various ministries during the London Olympics.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
