Pavlo KryvenkoThe real winners and losers of the Paris Olympics are not the athletes or the medals, but the political forces shaping the event. China’s successful geopolitical maneuvering, Russia’s continued presence despite its invasion of Ukraine, and the ongoing struggles of Ukrainian athletes under war conditions highlight the intersection of sport and politics, revealing a troubling trend in Olympic governance.
The 2024 Paris Olympics are about more than just athletic competition. The true “winners” and “losers” are defined by the political and geopolitical forces shaping the Games. While more than 10,000 athletes will compete for 329 gold medals, the event underscores how sport has become a battleground for larger international struggles.
China takes home the gold medal for “geopolitics in sport”. The Chinese Communist Party flexed its muscle by forcing athletes from Taiwan (competing under the name “Chinese Taipei”) to forgo their national anthem and flag. Meanwhile, 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine in 2021 faced no meaningful consequences, thanks to the leniency of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which accepted China’s unverified claim that the doping resulted from contaminated food. A joint investigation by ARD and the New York Times debunked this explanation, yet WADA has failed to hold China accountable, damaging the agency’s credibility. The gold for moral gymnastics thus goes to WADA, which continues to bend under political pressure.
Russia also earns a place on the podium for its political maneuvering. Russian officials, led by spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, mocked the Paris Olympics, calling the opening ceremony “ridiculous” and disparaging the city’s infrastructure. Russia’s track record in doping scandals, particularly during the Sochi 2014 Olympics, remains infamous, and its athletes were only allowed to compete in subsequent Games under the neutral banner of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, 32 Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate in the Paris Olympics as “independent neutrals,” raising serious questions about the integrity of the Games. Ukrainian officials have pointed out that at least three of these athletes have expressed pro-war sentiments on social media.
The Ukrainian delegation, meanwhile, faces unimaginable hardships. Despite the ongoing war with Russia, which has destroyed over 500 sports facilities and killed nearly 500 athletes and coaches, Ukraine will send its smallest-ever delegation – just 140 athletes. These athletes have trained under constant threats, including power outages, airstrikes, and the loss of their homes and training facilities. Ukrainian athletes are not just competing for gold medals, but for survival and national pride.
The IOC’s Weak Response: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been criticized for its weak response to Russia’s actions, including its delayed suspension of Russia’s membership only after the country’s formal annexation of Ukrainian territories in 2023. The IOC’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as “independent neutrals” has further complicated the Games, as several athletes from these countries have openly supported the war, despite IOC assurances that they are “neutral”.
In summary, the Paris Olympics may showcase athletic feats, but they also underscore how global politics continues to shape international sport. The real “winners” in Paris may not be those standing on podiums, but the powerful political forces manipulating the event for their own agendas. As the world watches, the Olympic Games serve as a stark reminder that in geopolitics, there are no truly neutral players.