The Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” interpreted into English means “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. The motto has inspired and motivated sports athletes throughout the years. The motto is a call to scale the heights, broaden horizons, reset standards, beat the clock, and better the best. Sports have always served a myriad of purposes from fostering teamwork to bringing communities together. However, the corruption and commercialisation that exist in sporting events have led many to believe that they have lost their true purpose. Agreeing with this view, it can be said that international sporting events have lost their true purpose today.
Sporting events are believed to foster human strength and character. Sports still promote these values and imbibes a sense of pride in the athletes. Many athletes work tirelessly to break records in sports which are usually considered impossible to achieve. For example, Usain Bolt has created records that are hard to break. Owing to his achievements and dominance in sprint competition, he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. Similarly, inspired by Michael Phelps, Joseph Schooling, won Singapore’s first-ever Olympic medal in swimming. International sporting events are instrumental in the developing physical strength, building character and developing strategic thinking. Thus, international sporting events have not lost their true purpose today because it provides athletes to display their strength and character.
International sporting events also help in bringing communities closer and foster a sense of brotherhood. International sporting events help in building a shared common identity among people. Furthermore, sporting events helps individuals to understand themselves as members of communities by engaging in sports. For instance, Spanish national soccer teams display a combative playstyle known as the red fury. Spaniards mirror their national teams’ play style when they face adversity. Apart from national identity, international sports also give people to bond over their common interest in sports. For instance, cricket is a sport which is enjoyed by countries like India and Pakistan. Cricket matches are a great way to help countries build strong and amicable ties even off the field. To further illustrate this point, the example of the Olympic games can be cited where the value of international friendship and cooperation among the participating athletes and the countries they represented was truly demonstrated. Thus, International sporting events have helped in promoting peaceful international relations among diverse nations as people compete without strife by setting aside their political and geopolitical differences.
Despite the positive purpose of sports, the dark side of the sporting events cannot be ignored. Today many countries do not realise the true purpose of sports. Many countries that host prominent international sporting events are not concerned with building a sports culture. Their motivation to organise these events is – profit. The hosting of the Rio Olympics in 2017 a shift in Brazil budget allocation. Where the country focused on investing huge sums in building sporting infrastructure while ignoring important sectors like education and healthcare. Though from the country’s perspective it could be said that the economic factor was important. It cannot be ignored that the lack of consideration led the country to face one of the worst recessions which led to further budget cuts. Moreover, sponsorship in sports has made it just a marketing commodity. The players are known for their worth in terms of how much they earn. An example of such sponsorship is seen in stadiums where dozens of sponsorship ads are displayed from edge to edge of the outfield. During the Olympics 2018, the IOC was criticised by the media undermining its emphasis on health and athleticism by taking money from companies like McDonald’s that sell junk food. Such instances highlight how sports today is a profit-driven industry. Making money is their only concern and sporting ideals are being forgotten. Thus, international sporting events have lost their true purpose today because of blatant commercialisation.
International sporting events today are also marred by the athletes who participate in them. Athletes today believe that they need to win at any cost. This determination to win can make them lose the sense of right and wrong. Today sportspersons are set up on high pedestals which lead them to use tactics like doping to maintain those records. For example, systematic doping in Russian sports has resulted in 47 Olympic and tens of world championships medals being stripped from Russian athletes. Similarly, Lance Armstrong, one of the greatest cyclists, was stripped of his titles and banned from pro cycling for life in 2012 for doping. Apart from doping charges, athletes have also been involved in other controversies that make people lose their faith in the legitimacy of international sporting events. Thus, international sporting events have lost their true purpose today because of the athletes who indulge in unfair practices.
In conclusion, it can be said that international sporting events are losing their purpose today in the world. Blatant commercialisation and lack of fair play have led to the deterioration of values that are important in sports. Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee once said, ‘It takes more than crossing the line first to make a champion. A champion is more than a winner. A champion is someone who respects the rules, rejects doping and competes in the spirit of fair play.’ There is no denying that sporting events bring people together and there is a need to identify the true purpose of sports – friendship, team spirit, and respect for equality and integrity.
