Olympic Trickles

Enough already! That's what I told myself on Thursday, while considering what to blog next. However, I felt like jumping off the diving platform without hitting the water by doing so. Thank goodness! BBC online news yesterday reported that Zimbabwe President Mugabe rewarded Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry US$ 100,000.00 for a job well-done at the Beijing Olympics.

"Kidding me!" I said to myself as my jaw dropped. Here's a country, which has a widespread shortage of food and fuel, its inflation is currently at 11,000,000% that one has to bring "wads and pads of paper bills" and joining a long line just to buy a loaf of bread, yet it can afford to reward an Olympian, who now lives in glory in the old-glory of USofA (pun intended). The BBC report took me back to my question: Is Olympics an individual or a state (publicity) competition?

Mugabe's action surely answered it. Certainly, Kirsty Coventry brought honor to the country. She's the only Olympian who won all, but a couple, for Zimbabwe. Of course, she is worthy of her labor and hard work, no question about that. Nevertheless, I cannot understand how a president can afford to reward (in US dollar) an Olympian in the midst of a serious economic crises. If the Olympic Games is an individual or a team competition, every country should not be giving away thousands or millions of money as an incentive for its athletes to excel. I probably would admire President Mugabe (and not consider the reward a show-off), if the amount was a little less, but with a huge Zimbabwe law (call it Coventry Law)that IN HONOR OF KIRSTY COVENTRY'S OLYMPIC TRIUMPHS, HE AND HIS CRONIES WILL RETURN ALL THE WHITE-OWNED FARMS THAT THEY REPOSSESSED FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. After all, Kirsty is Caucasian.

I know. I know. Zimbabwe is not the only country that glorifies victorious Olympians. Hey, I heard my own country, The Philippines, which is also experiencing economic crises (oh well, which country isn't. Even the old USofA is), promised to give 3,000,000.00 Philippine pesos for a Filipino gold medalist in Beijing. Unfortunately, there wasn't any, except in a "washu", which was just an exhibition game.

So now, those Kenyans and Bulgarians, who competed for Quatar and other countries even though they cannot speak the host's language and understand the culture, are also now out of the question. I still am pinching myself (for me to believe) that the IOC find such action legitimate, because it adheres to the Olympic charter that the Games is an individual and team competition. There, you have it. Clear as mud! Make my mind spin 360 to understand the politics in the Olympic Games!

Peace! Unity! Understanding! Oh, well, let's just keep the 5 continents together and expect the best for the Winter Olympics.

Hurrah & Duh!: Beijing Olympics

So, I was wrong. Still have not seen athletes fainting. Have not seen lots of masks, either. Well, the rain, natural or artificial, helped lower the air pollution.

But, told you; there's lots of celebration and controversy at the Beijing Olympics. Hurrah for Michael Phelps. He's won his seventh gold in swimming, equaling the medal of fellow American swimmer, Mark Spitz. Let us wait later today if he could win gold in his last relay event. If he could, he'd be the most decorated Olympian. In fact, Mark Spitz said when interviewed by NBC an hour after Michael won his seventh gold, "...An EPIC!", which may mean he's the greatest.

Some celebration, though, have been clouded with controversy. Some skeleton in the closet are coming out now.

Spectacular pageantry during the opening ceremony? The gold medalist in the women's(or girl's) team competition? Duh! It's like lead in children's toys.

It now has been known that the voice of that little girl, who sang at the opening ceremony, was by another girl. She was replaced because her face was not as pretty as her voice. Those kids. who wore ethnic costumes, were not a bona fide members of the ethnic groups that they represented. Hence, many are questioning what's behind all these pompous display of wealth, artistry, and athleticism.

So, the suspicion trickled to the gymnasts. One rule in Olympic gymnastics is that the athletes must be at least 16 years old on or before the game. Unfortunately, those innocent faces of some of the women (or girls) who showed powerful tumblings, and extraordinary courage and balance made many question the veracity of their ages. Being Asian, I don't believe that all of the gymnasts are 16-year olds. As I watched them, my mind kept on bringing me back to my high school years. I haven't seen Filipino Chinese in high school as young as those gymnasts. (There were two that I really was suspecting.) Finally, somebody leaked the bad news. One of those gymnasts is just 14 years old. Duh!

So, what do you do now, Mr. and Ms. IOC (International Olympic Committee)? Don't you plan to strip off the gold medal from them? The Little League Baseball World Series organization strip off the championship medal of the Philippine Little League Baseball team in 1992 for not following the age requirement and abode of those young boys (or men). Why can't you?

Anyways, this Beijing Olympics is just not halfway over yet. Expect more controversy, because lying is pretty normal to human beings. US sociobiologist, Edward Wilson (1975) stressed that "...true spite is a common place in human societies, undoubtedly because human beings are keenly aware of their own blood lines and have the intelligence to plot intrigue. Human being are unique in the degree of their capacity to lie to other members of their own species."

The Lighter Side of the Olympics

Ryan, one medal hopeful for the Olympic marathon trained the hardest for the past 4 years, right after them Olympics in Athens. His coach modified his diet, monitored his nightly life even his time with his wife. He even was not allowed to go to a smoking tolerant bar. When he and his coach left for Beijing last week, a TV reporter asked him if he was 100 percent ready to win a medal. He said, "With the complete training package I've done, I am very confident that I could win a medal."

During the athletes long distance dry run on Monday, the reporter was surprised to see him gasping and cramping halfway of his 16-mile run. (A full marathon is 26.2-mile route.) The reporter followed him to his hotel and asked, "Ryan, I thought you have the best coach and the best training, the most complete training package to prepare for the Beijing marathon? What was the problem?"

Ryan replied, "My coach forgot to train me with a mask on while running."

...........

Yes, coaches and athletes, except those Chinese contingent, are so worried about the effect of pollution to their performance next week. I saw them on TV already wearing masks right after they landed in China. Probably we would be witnessing many track athletes fainting and cramping for they would tend to hold their breath, as if they are all sprinters, for health sake. Probably we would see China contingent winning the highest number of medals.

Surely, we would be witnessing the most spectacular opening ceremony on Friday, both in field demonstration and fireworks display. Oh, yes, China spent 20 billion British pounds in the games. Most of that money went to the infrastructure, which would help China economy in the long run. Nevertheless, a big chunk of that money was also used to produce millions of fireworks for the opening ceremony. Why not? It would be an added pollutant to a highly polluted air.

Hey, athletes, did you bring your sunglasses, too? Too much smog will affect your eyes. If you do, just remember not to wear it, while wearing your black masks. Otherwise, you would be deported, suspected as terrorists. Hmmm.... another plus for China's medal standing.

Anyway, do your very best. I, a sport fanatic, will make night into day as I watch you all on NBC. Hats off to all of you.