Sure, Let’s Boycott the Olympics..sarcasm

Sure, Let’s Boycott the Olympics…It Worked So Well the Last Time

Do U.S. Senators ever think before they say anything?  I’m really thinking they don’t.  Because some of our “brilliant” elected officials come up with some of the stupidest ideas.  Then say it on the record all proud of themselves while the rest of the country is sitting there thinking, “Are you an idiot?”

I’m, of course, talking about South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, who suggested the U.S. boycott the upcoming Sochi Games because, well I couldn’t really figure out why.  He’s mad that Edward Snowden is trying to get temporary asylum in Russia (since it’s evidently their fault a guy with no passport can’t get out of the Moscow airport).  He also made some sort of reference about Hitler, said something about Iran, and implied the Russian government only wants the Olympics to spread propaganda (I’m sure that’s exactly what they were thinking six-and-a-half years ago when they won the bid, those evil geniuses.  Never fear, Lindsey’s on to ’em!).

Where do I start with how ridiculous this entire idea is?  How about the fact that it’s July?  The Olympics are in February.  That’s seven months from now!  All of this stuff could easily be resolved by then.  It’s also merely a coincidence that the Olympics are going to be in Russia.  If they were anywhere else, this wouldn’t even be a topic of discussion.  (Will similar issues magically pop up again in the lead up to the 2018 World Cup?)

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  What about the athletes?  What did they do to deserve having their Olympic dream taken away from them?  And for what?  Whether or not you think Edward Snowden is a traitor isn’t even remotely close to the point.  The point is that one senator’s opinion about this one man isn’t enough to warrant taking that opportunity away from these athletes, who’ve dedicated years to their sport and might only get this one chance.  Not to mention depriving the American people the thrill and pride of watching Team USA.  The London Olympics were the highest-rated in history for a reason.

What’s more, we’ve tried this already.  The only other time Russia hosted the Olympics, in 1980, the U.S. didn’t go.  How’d that turn out again?

That was a different time, though.  1980 was the height of the Cold War, with the United States and the Soviet Union as the main protagonists.  The U.S. didn’t attend the Summer Olympics in Moscow for political reasons, and a number of our Western allies followed suit.  Then when LA hosted the Olympics four years later, the Soviet Union responded with a boycott of its own, purely out of spite.  Did either of those boycotts accomplish anything constructive?  No.  All that the 1980 and 1984 boycotts did was water down those Olympics and deprive thousands of athletes the opportunity of a lifetime.  All because of political interference.

Things have changed significantly in the past 30 years.  For starters, the Cold War is over.  We won.  The Soviet Union hasn’t even existed in 20 years.  And while we don’t always see eye-to-eye, Russia has become an important ally.  However, if the U.S. were to actually boycott the Sochi Olympics, all it would do is bring both countries back to an uncomfortable past.  One we’ve both moved on from.  (The fact that this will be the first time the U.S. is participating in an Olympics held in Russia is already one of the big storylines leading up to the Games.)

I can’t believe we’re even talking about this.  House speaker John Boehner has said Senator Graham is “dead wrong,” pointing out (correctly) that it would be unfair to punish the athletes.  The USOC referred to 1980 in its rebuttal, noting that the boycott did nothing to resolve the underlying conflict between the two nations (I’d even argue it might’ve made things worse).  And at least in 1980, there was an underlying conflict between the U.S. and Russia, making Jimmy Carter’s decision to boycott the Moscow Games, while still a terrible move, a little more understandable.

Furthermore, the U.S. government (which, it’s also worth pointing out here, contributes nothing financially to the USOC) no longer has a say as to whether or not the United States sends a team to the Olympics.  That decision lies solely in the hands of the USOC.  While I’m sure if there was a legitimate reason for the government to propose an Olympic boycott, the USOC would probably at least listen, this isn’t one.  Senator Graham is wrong.  There’s absolutely no chance the U.S. won’t be competing in Sochi.  The fact that we’re even discussing it is a complete joke.