Joe Lane
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The 2016 Summer Olympics are set to begin in fewer than five months. Yet as the games approach, problems surrounding the impending event seem to be mounting.
The Summer Olympics this year will be held in Rio de Janeiro. Rio has been under fire for its potentially disease-inducing waterways, its abysmal infrastructure, the presence of the Zika virus, and the lack of concern about these problems. But Rio isn’t the only site hosting a major sporting event that has come under fire. Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and several issues have arisen, largely centering on the extreme heat athletes and spectators will face during the events and human-rights violations perpetrated by the host country.
The issues facing such locations as Rio and Qatar occur around the world. Qatar’s extreme heat and questionable human-rights record and Rio’s infrastructure woes are just examples of broad problems that need to be addressed.
The Olympics and the World Cup are two of the most-watched television events in the world. Largely regarded as things that (perhaps ironically) represent global unity, the games are an ideal opportunity to display important issues. If the respective events stay in their planned sites — again, assuming the safety of the visitors can be guaranteed — the nature of the competitions to be viewed by hundreds of millions could be an unprecedented platform for social change.
Hopefully, NBC will take the unique opportunity presented to it to turn athletes into role models and to display these issues as only it could. Rather than glorifying the problems to attract viewers, as many media outlets may choose to do, the duty will fall on NBC to present the problems as solvable yet affecting more than just the host sites.
Beyond the widespread problems, one issue will be highlighted that has nothing to do with the locations themselves. This problem is being solved in a truly beautiful way; a solution that will be displayed on a world stage.
According to the official Olympics website, “As part of the IOC’s pledge to aid potential elite athletes affected by the worldwide refugee crisis, the NOCs were asked to identify any refugee athlete with the potential to qualify for the Olympic Games Rio 2016.”
In other words, in this year’s Summer Olympics, refugee athletes will participate under the Olympic flag and the name “Team Refugee Olympic Athletes.”
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Refugees have been forced from their homes and, in many cases, deprived of their humanity in a variety of ways. These individuals have lost a lot of what made them who they are. The International Olympic Committees’ commitment to helping right the wrongs these individuals have faced goes a long way in proving the immense power of international sport.
It will undoubtedly behoove broadcasters and the Olympics to frequently highlight the refugee team, but what will be more difficult and equally as important will be highlighting the other issues that the Olympics can play a role in solving.