The history of the Olympic Games can be traced back to 3000 years ago (Young & Wamsley, 2005). In ancient Greece, physical excellence was celebrated during religious events. To appease their gods, the inhabitants of ancient Greece founded the Olympic Games.
During its inception, the Olympic Games were held every four years. Participants comprised of individuals from several cities across Greece. These games were held at Zeus in Olympia. At the time, the Olympic Games comprised of athletics and combat activities.
Prior to the onsets of the games, all major activities such as wars were postponed to give time for the games. Currently, the games have gone international and are held every four years.
Just like during its inception, the games are held to celebrate physical excellence and to play cultural, economic, and political roles (Coakley, 2007).
This paper focuses on why the Olympics should be continued based on its contributions to global community connection and positive power of human beings.
Global community connection
Ever since its inception, Olympics games have been used as a cultural event. Currently, the games have attracted thousands of participants and millions of audience from all over the world.
Compared to any other sport, the Olympic Games are considered the leading sports event about the affairs of public interests. Modern Olympic Games are not confined to one region. As such, after every four years, the games are hosted in a designated location.
Thus, through this approach, the games attract several individuals with different race, culture, religion, and languages in one place.
Through this approach, mass communications among these individuals have been made possible. When these games are held, African, Western, and Eastern cultures merge on international platforms.
Olympic Games do not only benefit the participators and the audience but also the millions of individuals who follow the events from their televisions (Roleff, 2009).
With the expansion in mass media technologies, individuals can now follow the proceedings of the Olympic Games from the comfort of their homes.
This has not only helped the sport to be popular but has also enabled fans from across the world to appreciate and acknowledge cultures, religions, and languages of other individuals.
Before the Olympic Games became popular, in the early 20th century, the events were marred with racisms (Woods, 2007).
However, with the increased popularity of the game individuals from different races, classes, and religion have been approved equal rights to participate in the events.
Given the fact that the Olympic Games are meant to increase cultural diversification, event organizers should strive to ensure that the public makes the best out of the events.
Ever since the Olympic Games were internationalized, it has played huge political roles. Due to the Olympic Games, several countries have become friends.
For instance, through ping-pong diplomacy, the USA and China strengthened their political relations (Hennessy & Chesworth, 1996). Ping-pong diplomacy program was started in the 1970s. Through the program, China and the USA were able to exchange their table tennis players.
In the year 1971, the USA’s tennis players received an invitation letter to China from the tennis players in China. Before the start of their exchange program, the Chinese tennis players were very prominent worldwide for their diplomatic contributions.
On the other hand, from the year 1949 America had stopped sending its delegation to China. However, following the invitation, the country sent the team together with their journalist to China in April 1971. Out of this diplomatic relation, several benefits were realized by the two countries.
When one of the American players returned home, he informed the media that he was amazed at how the Chinese people were alike to the Americans. According to his report, the Chinese were honest, hospitable, and social people.
Through his remarks, the stereotypes that the people of America held against the Chinese were reduced (Oxlade & Ballheimer, 2000). Equally, through the exchange programs open negotiations between the two countries were initiated.
The benefits of these negotiations were realized in the year 2008 when Richard Nixon visited China. Similarly, it is believed that through the negotiations China managed to be the host of the Beijing Olympics of 2008.
Positive power of human beings
In every successful sportsperson, there are lessons the public can learn. All Olympic champions have trainers who coach and motivate them to achieve their best. As such, these sportspersons have been prepared to have the determinations and mindsets of champions.
More often, these individuals have to persevere exhausting training exercise to be successful. In this regard, we should learn from the experiences of these champions. In our business, we can learn several lessons from Olympic athletes.
As such, we should have the determination that our business will be successful. With that in mind, we should do our very best to ensure that all the plans aimed at achieving our business goals are implemented.
This might require us to seek mentorship and coaching from other experience business players just as successful players do.
Apart from business, there are other areas where good athletes have influenced normal persons. For instance, several women have been inspired by successful female athletes to pursue careers related to sports.
Gabby Douglas, who is an Olympic gymnast, has motivated several women in the field of sports. Douglas in the past told the media that she almost gave up her career as a gymnast way back when she was a teenager. However, her sister encouraged her to push on with her career.
Out of her sister’s encouragement, Douglas pushed on and won several medals. She also managed to be the first African American to win women’s all-around gymnastics title. Through this story, we can learn that we should never lose hope while pursuing our goals.
In our everyday endeavors, we might face several challenges that may discourage us from pursuing our goals. Through such times, Douglas’ story should inspire us to persevere in our endeavors no matter the challenges.
Another successful athlete who has inspired several individuals is Lolo Jones. Jones’ came from a very humble background. As a child, her mother struggled to educate her despite being homeless. Similarly, the athlete struggled through several challenges in a sports career.
In the year 2008, Jones managed to be the third runner despite falling during the 100-meter race. Out of her experience, we can learn that more often in life, we encounter challenges and what is important is how we respond to these challenges.
Therefore, we should be able to overcome these challenges. Similarly, through her experiences, we should note that everyone has equal opportunities to be successful in life regardless of our background.
Equally, through her experiences women should realize sports careers are beneficial to all individuals regardless of our sex (Tews & Pfister, 2003).
Special Olympics have also inspired several individuals in their daily activities. Special Olympics bring together people with disabilities to participate in sports. Through these events, these individuals are normally inspired to achieve their best.
By participating in these events, these individuals can prove to themselves, and the other disable individuals that disability is not inability. As such, these events try to foster the perception that being disabled does not imply that one is unable to participate in everyday events in society.
These games are not only beneficial to these individuals but also their fans. Normal individuals are usually inspired when they witness a disabled individual achieving what a normal individual cannot achieve.
One of the special inspiring athletes is Eddie Martin (Wickiser, 2005). As a child, medical experts informed Martin that he would never stand, walk, talk, or participate in other activities that normal people do in society.
Martin told the media that his doctor had suggested that he should be institutionalized. At the moment, Martin has defied all odds to be a special Olympic champion. Similarly, Martin is a successful employee who has contributed enormously to his employer.
Through such inspiring stories, many people continue to be inspired by the success of the special athletes. Likewise, the public would be inspired and encouraged by engaging in special peoples’ sports (Grafius, 2003).
By participating in such events, the public would have fun and give back to the community.
Similarly, through these events, people can connect with other individuals from different backgrounds (Noll & Zimbalist, 1997). By doing so, we would continue to appreciate our differences in religions, races, and cultures.
References
Coakley, J. J. (2007). Sports in society: issues & controversies (9th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Grafius, L. C. (2003). Effects of a special olympics gymnastics program on self-concept among mentally retarded adults. Philadelphia, Pasn Press.
Hennessy, B. G., & Chesworth, M. (1996). Olympics!. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Viking.
Noll, R. G., & Zimbalist, A. S. (1997). Sports, jobs, and taxes: the economic impact of sports teams and stadiums . Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
Oxlade, C., & Ballheimer, D. (2000). Olympics. New York: Dorling Kindersley Pub..
Roleff, T. L. (2009). The Olympics. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.
Tews, I., & Pfister, G. (2003). Sport and women: social issues in international perspective. London: Routledge/ISCPES.
Wickiser, C. L. (2005). The effects of differing types of Special Olympic participation on the social competency of mentally retarded participants.Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press.
Woods, R. (2007). Social issues in sport. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
Young, K., & Wamsley, K. B. (2005). Global Olympics historical and sociological studies of the modern games . Amsterdam: Elsevier JAI.