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Through a combination of graft, murderous scapegoating, and the commodification of Olympic Ideals (Oxford comma included because I do love my punctuation), Vladimir Putin and the International Olympic Committee have managed to do the impossible. They have combined to make me completely apathetic towards the Olympic games..
This is no mean feat. I have been to three games (LA 84, Beijing 08 and Vancouver 10) and done a physical pilgrimage to the sites of many more (Berlin 36, Sarajevo 84, Montreal 76, LA 32, St. Louis 1904 and more). I am a huge proponent of the Ideals of the Olympics, even when not completely fulfilled.
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But the Sochi Games have turned to the Olympics into just another political act. As empty and hollow as Ted Cruz' faux filibuster or Harry Bellafonte's embarrassing comments this week as Bill DeBlassio's inauguration.
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The Russian Government (in general) had made these games all about their ability to drive their hatre with impunity. Putin's cronies have enriched themselves openly. And the IOC has shown a complete lack of commitment to their stated believes.
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American sponsors; Coke, Procter & Gamble, GE, McDonalds and so on, are stuck now in a no-win situation. I want to boycott them, yet I admire their support towards an Olympic Ideal (no matter how obviously it is a transparent marketing ploy).
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Before the Sochi games, I would have said it was impossible to make me indifferent to Olympics. Even stupid winter Olympics I liked. Even the 1980 Moscow games, I followed. I think Lauren Pfau and I might have made up the only two people that bought that asinine "Red White and Blue" cable package so we could watched everything that came out of the Seoul Games.
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So Congrats IOC - you have screwed the pooch on this. And the bitter taste will last long after these games.
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