Has the spectacle of the Olympic Torch relay, first introduced by Nazi Germany in 1936, hijacked the Olympic tradition? After the mass protesting in Paris, London and now San Francisco, and due to the ‘dubious’ Nazi origins of the Olympic torch relay, this editorial from the NRC Handelsblad of The Netherlands opines, “Four years ago, the torch, which had to go from Olympia to Athens, traveled 48,466 miles. And this year is no different. … This is megalomania. … IOC Vice President Gosper has called for the trip to be restricted to the direct route between Olympia and the organizing city. This won’t deter future demonstrators, but there is a lot to be said for a relay of more modest dimensions.”
EDITORIAL
Translated By Meta Mertens
April 9, 2008
The Netherlands – NRC Handelsblad – Original Article (Dutch)
San Francisco today is preparing itself for the tour of the Olympic torch through the city. Because massive protest actions are being expected along its route, authorities have taken strict security measures. Not without reason, for in Paris and London this week, the torch relay already got considerably out of hand. Huge numbers of demonstrators seized the opportunity to protest China’s human rights violations in general and those in Tibet in particular.
The International Olympic Committee may believe that as far as possible the Games should remain immune to politics, but the reality is quite different. The Olympics are often seen as a chance to focus attention on the abuses in the country in which they are being held. The atmosphere of international fraternity that the Olympic organizers of had in mind has been disrupted in advance. The reaction of the Chinese authorities and citizens range from simply denying that the protests are taking place to an attitude of hurt national pride.
Symbols are a part of the Olympic Games and contribute to its charm. Nevertheless, there is justification for asking what the meaning is of dragging a torch across the entire globe. In any case, the relay loses its shine when it serves mainly as a backdrop for angry demonstrators and when athletes bearing the torch must be protected.
The flame itself is a reminder of the role it has played in the Olympic Games and throughout human history. But the historical significance of the torch relay is relatively dubious. The Olympic flame was first lit in Amsterdam in 1928. The first torch relay was first carried out in Berlin in 1936. There, the torch was carried into the stadium in the presence of the Fuhrer as spectators and soldiers gave the Hitler greeting. To put it mildly, there are traditions with far more glorious origins.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the controversy as it pertains to the United States.
Founder and Managing Editor of Worldmeets.US