Paris Olympics in the wake of red-hot election politics
THE Paris Olympics starting on Jul 26 follows a deeply divisive election that saw an outbreak of xenophobia the likes of which surprised many, even within France. There were dozens of racial attacks in the weeks of vicious campaign rallies that preceded the country’s two-round legislative polls that ended last Sunday (Jul 7). Things got so bad that SOS Racisme, a leading French race-relations organisation, reported: “With the rise of the far right, we’re witnessing an explosion in racist attacks, not only verbal but also physical.” The election results were inconclusive with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party pushed to third place by clever tactics of its rivals. But the campaign turmoil put on display a side of France that will trigger fear in all non-Europeans going to Paris as athletes, officials or spectators.
The modern Olympics started out as an event above politics and patriotism. Individuals competed against each other rather than as representatives of their nations. Athletes turned up at the venue by themselves without national endorsement. Indeed, the first Olympics did not even compile a medal tally. Soon enough, however, the countries that dominated one sport or another discovered propaganda value in their winners’ accomplishments. These days governments valorise their champions as a tool in nation-building and athletes are handsomely rewarded when they win medals.
Indeed, the Olympic movement is as much about money as it is about sports. It is a huge enterprise that generates billions in income. Yet the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which sits at the apex of the movement, is, putatively, a not-for-profit NGO. The IOC is composed of about 100 members who get to decide who can join their ranks. IOC president Thomas Bach has his expenses met to the tune of US$370,000 a year, although he is technically a volunteer. Members fly first class and stay in luxury hotels when they attend meetings. The IOC generates 91 per cent of its income from selling broadcast rights and sponsorships. Income for the last four-year cycle of the Winter and Summer Games ending with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics reportedly come to a cool US$7.6 billion.
On the other hand, the costs of staging the Games have become such a financial burden it has prompted a debate about the value of hosting such mega festivals. Bidding cities often claim that the expenditure will improve public amenities, change perceptions of their nation for the better, and boost tourism. In reality, many former host cities are still struggling with the multi-billion dollar debts they incurred years, sometimes decades, earlier. Some economists argue that the benefits of hosting the Games are at best overrated and at worst zero. A 2012 Oxford University study estimated an average cost overrun of 252 per cent for each Summer Olympics since 1976, after adjusting for inflation. Then there are the corruption allegations in the bidding process as well as unfinished and overbuilt facilities to contend with when the Games are over. No wonder then that several prospective host cities including Hamburg, Rome, and Budapest withdrew their bids to host the 2024 Games.
These overarching contentious matters aside, Asians and Africans, among others, who turn up in Paris for the Olympics have a right to expect they will not be accosted or assaulted. Paris must ensure they are safe even if embers of anger over the elections remain red hot.
