Sports and international relations

Someone argues that Sport is a universal language, which can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background or economic status. Someone argues that international sports events such as the Olympic Games are regarded as a kind of cultural imperialism, giving rise to tensions between nations. What do you think of the issue?

FOR

4. Throughout our history many people have considered sport to be a particularly important institution in Australian society. Some observers have gone so far as to call it a national ‘religion’ or ‘obsession’. Certainly, over the last hundred years, many visitors and observers from overseas have commented that sport has had a predominant effect on the culture, value systems and forms of expression of Australians.

5.The Olympics represent an opportunity for nations to showcase their cultural, political, economic, social and sporting achievements and in almost every respect.

6.Soccer and other sports, as well as the entirety of leisure culture, have developed over a long period of time. Sports were originally created in order to create strong bodies and maintain safe societies. Today, they have developed globally and bring enjoyment and enrichment to the lives of billions of people. So, it is important that we seek ways by which sports can contr123te to the achievement of peace for the entire world’s people.

Words and expressions for the topic:

FOR                                 AGAINST

Observer  n.观察员                   a political tool 政治工具

Religion  n.宗教，信仰               project v. 凸出

Obsession n.迷住，困扰               national identity 民族特性

Comment vi. 评论                   political ideology政治意识形态

Predominant adj.支配的，突出的      a utopian dream 乌托邦的梦想

Olympics 奥林匹克运动会           boycott  联合抵制

Showcase  vt. 展示                overt politicking 公然的政治活动

Achievement n. 成就，功绩         withdraw participation 推出比赛

Enrichment  n. 丰富，肥沃        symbolize vt. 象征

                               outrage  n. 愤怒

AGAINST

4. Sport can be used as a political tool to project both national identity and political ideology

5. Sport can be used as a publicity tool, on an international level, for a country’s ideology. For example, sporting competition between USA and Soviet bloc during Cold War was regarded as “Capitalism vs. Communism”.

6.Coubertin’s belief in “Peace Through Sport” a utopian dream. Boycotts and others sorts of overt politicking are symptoms of the fact that the Olympics have long been tools of governments. The political value of the Olympics to governments hinges, ironically, on international sports being seen as above politics.

7.Governments may use the Olympics to score points against other governments, most prominently by boycotts. To withdraw participation from a high-value event such as the Olympics symbolizes a correspondingly high level of moral outrage