°1 Ymptc opportunity °1 Ymptc opportunity
` the Soviet Union adheres to its decision in° withdraw from the Olympic Games in Angeles it will prove that its desire for
revenge is even stronger than its longing for glory. The Games provide almost the only international forum in which Russia and the Eastern European countries excel. The large clutch of medals brought back every four years must be one of the few public achievements of which ordinary Soviet citizens can be proud. And yet the anger over American boycotting of the Moscow Olympics in 1980 (and a no doubt real fear of embarrassing demonstrations and even violence in Los Angeles) has conquered the objections. Russian withdrawal is the most severe blow yet to what is known as the 'Olympic ideal' because the Soviet athlete comes closest to its expression. Although he certainly benefits personally from taking part and winning, he primarily competes to increase his country's prestige. Recognising that the Olympics is run as a battle between nations, the Soviet Union has put all its resources into winning that battle. None of this, of course, has anything to do with the original (and ridiculous) intention of the founders that the Games should be played in the spirit of disinterested devotion to athleticism. Much the best thing that could now happen would be for the Olympic organisers to seize this chance to end the na- tional basis of the Games and frankly allow commercial sponsorship of athletes. Only then would they cease to be political. At present, Olympic athletes advertise their odious regimes. It would be much better if they were to advertise toothpaste or soap powder.
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