Olympic Nationalism

You know what I hate about the Olympic games? It's the ritualistic nationalism, particularly waving the flag after a victory in an event. Is that necessary? I saw a Swiss skater who won an event in the Winter games grab the flag and start running around the skate track. Funny thing is she never unfurled the flag and looked ridiculous being unaware that her chauvinism wasn't totally showing. Isn't it a little irritating to wave the national banner at a sporting event that is pledged to be an attempt to unify the nations of the world. It's like spitting on the "losing nations". Winners should be humble in victory and let others wave banners for them, not promote oneself.

Ideally, I would like to see all country designations removed from the athletes clothes and name. Let them compete as individuals, being allowed to enter the Olympics based on performance during the previous year. Those with the best times/highest scores/best records, get to compete, regardless of national origin. This might remove some of the ugly nationalism that fuels so many conflicts today. Look at France! What a mess excessive the unfounded pride in itself has done to that nation. France has isolated itself largely because of the excessive nationalistic fervor. The Olympic Games reflects that kind of false pride.

Banning displays of nationalism at the games by participants would be a good idea. The fans will always show their enthusiasm with nationalistic displays, but athletes should not encourage that idea. Also, no national anthems should be played after an event. The underlying premise of international sporting events is to bring people together in a spirit of fair competition and good will. The Olympic flag interlaces five rings representing the five continents. Show that flag and play the Olympic anthem after an event, not the anthem of any individual nation.

Remember the "cold war" years when the Olympic medals were counted as if victories on battle fields. Nationalism from the Olympics help to fuel hatred and distrust among nations then. Much of the awful judging of the events that cheat so many athletes is the result of nationalistic fervor.
Judges score athletes from their own countries higher than other judges do, and they appear to vary their biases strategically in response to the stakes involved in what scores they give.

The scrutiny given the event, and the degree of subjectivity of the performance aspect being scored both have a big impact on how often judges cheat to satisfy the nationalism that permeates the Olympics. For example, figure skating judges appear to engage in vote trading and bloc judging that make that event more of a staged exhibition than a real athletic contest.

I say to the athletes, just put down your flags and compete as individuals.