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A few problems (I have) with the Olympics.

The Olympics are the ultimate global event where almost every country in the world gets to participate. From its Greek origins, modern revival in France to present; it seems to have always been a celebration of the athletic abilities of the human body & used in  its' ancient Hellenic form in place of war. I, like most others, like the Olympics but I do have a few doubts when watching some sports in the Olympics as well as some qualification or disqualification criteria.


DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF NATURAL ADVANTAGE 

Today, it has been noted that some athletes have an advantage over others because of "high testosterone levels". Alright, sure... some people have different genes & some women really do look like they should compete in men's sport. But what's wrong with a quick check between the legs? A woman (obviously not a man) could check female athletes between the legs to certify whether they're male or female & that would be it. Problem solved. I can understand an advantage because of drugs but when we claim the hormones in your body are giving you an advantage then they may as well have surgically shortened Michael Phelps's freakishly long arms for giving him an unfair advantage. It's going to come to declaring that black athletes have a genetic advantage over white athletes in running sports & they'll have to un-black themselves to average white athlete levels. Because if you can discriminate someone for the natural chemicals they have in their body, you're just a step away from declaring certain races are banned from competing because they have a hormonal or other natural advantage.

Greek fresco of ancient Olympics.


DRUGS 

Considering all the energy drinks & concoctions people take to perform better that are legal, how much of an advantage do these illegal drugs really give an athlete? Some propose that we should let athletes do whatever & take whichever drugs to perform better because it's their body at the end of the day. Let's be honest, how much of an advantage does marijuana really give you? Did they even have methods to check what drugs someone took in the ancient (nude) Olympics? Just something cheeky to ponder about. 


OTHER 

I can understand how playing video games can be considered a professional sport career because we have sports where you win by how well you can dance throwing balls & ribbons, how well you can jump into water & how gracefully you can ride a horse. At least, with gamers, the line between winning & losing is more clearly defined. I can understand that the Olympic games committee is trying to add more sports for people to participate in but they could, at least, choose sports where the spectator can keep score themselves. If that means boxing matches have to stretch until one boxer touches the ground with his/her chest or back, so be it. 

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