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Wednesday 23 July 2008

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Ancient & modern

Peter Jones

Wednesday, 16th April 2008

Peter Jones investigates whether the Olympic Games have always been political.

Second, athletes did not compete as members of national teams, but in their own right. There were no sops in the shape of prizes for second and third to give everyone more of a chance; only winners counted. Certainly, communities from which the winners hailed made a great fuss of them (and rewarded them handsomely too), but no community felt that their ‘image’ was at stake, let alone compelled to put in ‘facilities’ to encourage ‘all young people’ to win gold at beach-ball.

The Roman emperor Nero was, perhaps, the first person to politicise the Games. Convinced that only the cultured Greeks could really appreciate his artistic and sporting prowess, he toured the various festivals there, winning — or rather, being awarded — 1,808 victories. He was so pleased he relieved Greece of all taxes.

Clever old Greeks. That might incentivise ‘our young people’, eh, Gordon?

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