Historical Tidbits Archives – Page 5 of 53

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

The Other Olympiads

The Much Wenlock Olympian Games are the oldest continuing multi-sport competition. Photo from Wenlock Olympian Society.

As the Paris 2024 Paralympics begin this week, you may discover that they were created by German physician Ludwig Guttmann in 1948 in Stoke Mandeville, to help wheelchair-bound veterans … without ever really knowing that there was more to it than that. It’s wonderful that the Paralympics has risen to the international, multi-event, multi-sport, multi-ability competition that it has become. But its laudable origin story covers over the fact that the IOC picks and chooses which types of international events that it wants to embrace, while rejecting others. The IOC has absorbed, like the Borg, the Paralympics and the Special Olympics. They have ignored the Deaflympics and Math Olympiads. They have absolutely positively not allowed gays, women, or anyone outside their predefined circle, to be Olympic.

While I don’t yet know enough about the Paralympics to report on its competitions (and I will be on vacation as they occur–sorry), I can try to help set the stage. There were many Olympiads that happened before, during, and after Coubertin and his IOC buddies decided that they could own and trademark the word, the logo, and the activities that constituted an Olympiad.

August 11, 2024August 14, 2024

Domination (Paris 2024)

Steph Curry’s dagger over France’s Victor Wembanyama, helping seal the victory for TEAM USA. AP Photo.

“Do you really think professional athletes should compete in the Olympics?” a friend asked me. If you are of a certain age, you remember when they didn’t, and perhaps wax nostalgic that somehow the Olympics were better for it.

Hogwash.

August 9, 2024August 14, 2024

Men Lurking Within/Gender Testing and the IOC

Imane Khelif, Algerian boxer, UNICEF ambassador, and center of an Olympic storm. Photo from UNICEF Algeria.

I have been hesitant to write this particular blog, despite the nagging sensation that it would be a public service. The nasty things said about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif over the past “16 days of glory,” aka the Olympics, have been like a recurring nightmare. I don’t want to add more noise. But I would like to provide a little perspective. That is, how did we get here?

You see, I just spent three months writing an article on the history of gender verification policies by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). When I read that the IBA and IOC are arguing over the gender testing of two boxers, I know why it’s so messy, disputed, and unclear. It’s because human beings don’t fit into neat little boxes, no matter how hard those (white wealthy gentlemen athletes) who started the Games have always tried.

It’s always been about what one researcher called “policing the binary.” It’s always been about Femininity Control.