Post by africanhope on Aug 13, 2013 20:54:02 GMT
The following is an opinion piece on why South Africa should boycott the Winter Games:
Our time to shine, why South Africa should speak out against the Winter Olympics
Let me start of with the obvious. Yes, I know that at the 2010 Winter Olympics South Africa send a massive team of two people (although knowing SASCOC we probably send 57 officials with them). We did not win any medals, we did not even qualify for any finals. So yes, South Africa will not be missed at the Winter Olympics in Russia.
But let us start there: what is the purpose of a boycott of an event like the Olympics. Boycotts do not necessarily change the world. The 1980 boycott by the USA of the Moscow Olympics did not end the Cold War, as people against a boycott points out. And this is true.
But then again, this is South Africa. The one country in the world that has been on the receiving end of more sporting boycotts than any other. We more than anyone else knows the effect of these boycotts. And whilst I am not claiming that sports boycotts ended Apartheid, we can not deny the effect they had, both outside of South Africa as well as in the country.
Outside they highlighted the plight of the majority of South Africans. These boycotts made people all over the world ask what is happening in the country that will lead other nations to take these steps. But more importantly, it had that very effect within our borders as it forced white South Africans to do some serious introspection, asking why the world, the whole world, would exclude us from sport due to our policies. It led many South Africans to take a long hard look at ourselves and our systems.
A sporting boycott also shows solidarity with the victims of oppression. It shows them that they are not alone, that there are people that care. It shows them, and their oppressors, that the world is watching. And finally sporting boycotts give national and international sporting bodies the opportunity to be forces for good, proclaimers of principles. For example, if the International Olympic Committee was so serious about its rule to not allow politics to interfere with the Olympics, why was Apartheid South Africa not allowed to compete for so many years? And would the IOC allow for the games to be held in an openly racist country, or a country with blatantly anti-Semitic laws? Would the American government or the UK allow their athletes to compete in a state that promotes terrorism or a country that imprisons people for being Christian? Then why allow it in a country that oppresses people because of their sexuality.
And our own committee, SASCOC, and our own government. What are our views? This is a country that is where it is now, partly due to the world standing with the oppressed against the oppressors. We are now free, partly because, through using sport, the world told the oppressed that they are not alone. Because using sport the world told the SA government that they are watching. Because sporting bodies realised that they have a moral obligation to the people of South Africa and to themselves.
Now is the time for us to give back. Now is the time for South Africa to take the same moral stance others took to assist us in achieving our miracle. South Africa must, as we did under President Mandela, once more become the moral compass of the world, and say that, as others stood against our oppression, we will stand against the oppression of others.
This country of freedom, must immediately announce that we will not compete in the Winter Olympics in Russia as long as the oppressive laws against homosexuals in that country persists. As a matter of fact. South Africa should become a strong moral voice in our own continent, refusing to compete in competitive sport against Uganda too, where homosexuals are persecuted on a daily basis.
Yes, as sport was used to stand by us, we should use sport to stand with others. A boycott by South Africa will not make President Putin change his mind about the oppressive laws in his country. It will not lead to equality for homosexuals in Russia or Uganda. But it will tell our brothers and sisters in these countries that we are watching. It will maybe lead to people in our own country, in other countries and in Russia to stop and ask, why is this important enough for us to boycott these games. It may not change a country, but it may change a few minds. And it will show that South Africa is a country willing to stand up for others, as they stood up for us.
Martin Meyer
Our time to shine, why South Africa should speak out against the Winter Olympics
Let me start of with the obvious. Yes, I know that at the 2010 Winter Olympics South Africa send a massive team of two people (although knowing SASCOC we probably send 57 officials with them). We did not win any medals, we did not even qualify for any finals. So yes, South Africa will not be missed at the Winter Olympics in Russia.
But let us start there: what is the purpose of a boycott of an event like the Olympics. Boycotts do not necessarily change the world. The 1980 boycott by the USA of the Moscow Olympics did not end the Cold War, as people against a boycott points out. And this is true.
But then again, this is South Africa. The one country in the world that has been on the receiving end of more sporting boycotts than any other. We more than anyone else knows the effect of these boycotts. And whilst I am not claiming that sports boycotts ended Apartheid, we can not deny the effect they had, both outside of South Africa as well as in the country.
Outside they highlighted the plight of the majority of South Africans. These boycotts made people all over the world ask what is happening in the country that will lead other nations to take these steps. But more importantly, it had that very effect within our borders as it forced white South Africans to do some serious introspection, asking why the world, the whole world, would exclude us from sport due to our policies. It led many South Africans to take a long hard look at ourselves and our systems.
A sporting boycott also shows solidarity with the victims of oppression. It shows them that they are not alone, that there are people that care. It shows them, and their oppressors, that the world is watching. And finally sporting boycotts give national and international sporting bodies the opportunity to be forces for good, proclaimers of principles. For example, if the International Olympic Committee was so serious about its rule to not allow politics to interfere with the Olympics, why was Apartheid South Africa not allowed to compete for so many years? And would the IOC allow for the games to be held in an openly racist country, or a country with blatantly anti-Semitic laws? Would the American government or the UK allow their athletes to compete in a state that promotes terrorism or a country that imprisons people for being Christian? Then why allow it in a country that oppresses people because of their sexuality.
And our own committee, SASCOC, and our own government. What are our views? This is a country that is where it is now, partly due to the world standing with the oppressed against the oppressors. We are now free, partly because, through using sport, the world told the oppressed that they are not alone. Because using sport the world told the SA government that they are watching. Because sporting bodies realised that they have a moral obligation to the people of South Africa and to themselves.
Now is the time for us to give back. Now is the time for South Africa to take the same moral stance others took to assist us in achieving our miracle. South Africa must, as we did under President Mandela, once more become the moral compass of the world, and say that, as others stood against our oppression, we will stand against the oppression of others.
This country of freedom, must immediately announce that we will not compete in the Winter Olympics in Russia as long as the oppressive laws against homosexuals in that country persists. As a matter of fact. South Africa should become a strong moral voice in our own continent, refusing to compete in competitive sport against Uganda too, where homosexuals are persecuted on a daily basis.
Yes, as sport was used to stand by us, we should use sport to stand with others. A boycott by South Africa will not make President Putin change his mind about the oppressive laws in his country. It will not lead to equality for homosexuals in Russia or Uganda. But it will tell our brothers and sisters in these countries that we are watching. It will maybe lead to people in our own country, in other countries and in Russia to stop and ask, why is this important enough for us to boycott these games. It may not change a country, but it may change a few minds. And it will show that South Africa is a country willing to stand up for others, as they stood up for us.
Martin Meyer