Sochi clears the Moscow hurdle
In 2008, Beijing opened its doors to the world not only to showcase China's status as the newest global economic and industrial power but also marketed the Olympic Games of that year as one of the most glamorous and successful in the modern era.
Before then, the US and its Western allies tried everything to smear the games and at certain stages tried a case against Beijing hosting it. Human rights issues cropped up and the independence of Tibet, which China considers one of its provinces, became dominant in the propaganda warfare against Beijing.
Several protests were organised and orchestrated at most of the venues the Olympic Torch had to pass on its way to the games venue. When these protests failed to register any negative impact, the West turned to the environment by stating that the atmosphere in Beijing was too polluted for the comfort and safety of the athletes, especially those participating in the marathon.
As stated earlier, the rest of the world did not succumb to Western propaganda. The Olympic spirit prevailed and Beijing went ahead to establish standards at both the opening and closing ceremonies, which subsequent hosts would have to struggle to match or exceed.
The 1980 Moscow Olympic Games could survive the onslaught of Western propaganda. The invasion of Afghanistan by the then Soviet Union in that year was used to campaign for the boycott of the games. In the end, over 30 countries stayed away, thus diminishing the stature and significance of the games.
Strangely enough, 10 years after the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in disgrace, the US led its Western allies into the same territory and got embroiled in a useless war, claiming to be fighting terrorism. Having hit the 10-year mark themselves in Afghanistan, the US and its allies are struggling hard to pull out in a face-saving move, claiming the job has been executed.
In 2014, the intrigues of the Cold War era is being played back. This time, the Russian city of Sochi is hosting the Winter Olympics. The Western propaganda machine went into top gear again to discredit the games and possibly caused a boycott. Human rights issues again are dominant. This time, gay rights which were almost non-existent in 1980 have become topical and being exploited to undermine the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.
The safety of the athletes was brought into question over fears of terrorist attacks. There were also allegations of corruption, mismanagement, inefficiency, irrationality and extreme vanity associated with the games.
The West in particular questioned the expenditure of $50bn spent on the games as too frivolous in a country where the majority of the people are at the fringes of the economy.
Even though there was no call for a general boycott as happened in 1980, a seed of doubt and suspicion has been planted and some Western leaders have decided to stay away from the games for security reasons.
Most of the things said about the games cannot be ruled out. The only question is, why should the US and its allies always want to paint the other side of the world in such a bad image?
Everything cannot be good in the West, just as everything cannot be bad in the so-called East. The Sochi Games is still going on and so far, so good.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
