Abstract The paper discusses the Olympic sponsorship and advertising by companies such as McDonalds, Coke and Budweiser and decries the negative messages that are transmitted to the public through the association of athletes with these unhealthy products. The paper provides evidence of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s commitment to its premier sponsors like McDonalds. The paper strongly believes that the IOC should devise a process to select its sponsors not based on the capital they are willing and able to provide, but on the basis of the worth they have to provide to the Olympic Games.
From the Paper "In No Logo, Naomi Klein claims that Nike has three guiding principles to branding sports: "Create sport celebrities...destroy the competition...and sell pieces of the brand as if it were the Berlin Wall" (51-66). This describes Nike's cutthroat attitude for sustaining its dominating status in the athletic industry. Supplying its sponsored athletes with the latest equipment, Nike is justified in their efforts to surpass their competition through Olympic sponsorships. However, there are some companies that seem out of place in the athletic world. Sponsors such as McDonalds, Coke, and Budweiser, have all provided evidence for the need of Olympic sponsorship screening because fast food, sugary sodas, and alcohol have no place in athletics."
Abstract This paper takes a closer look at steroid use in professional baseball and at the Olympics. The paper shows specific examples of recent cheating among athletes worldwide. The paper also provides explanations of drug-screening procedures used today and ways that athletes are successfully able to cheat the screenings, as well as their competitors and the fans.
From the Paper "Cheating is everywhere. It has become a widespread epidemic in the sense that it has almost completely incorporated itself into the American society of today. Not gradually; the change has been dramatic and has covered all angles and perspectives. Anything and everything that has a corner with the possibility of being cut will ultimately be cut. Moreover, based on this extremely wide variety, it would take days to cover each individual type of cheating. Therefore, choosing one single and important aspect, in this case, athletes who cheat drug screenings, allows the reader to obtain a much more specific and individualized sense of the much broader dilemma that is occurring everywhere all over the world. Athletes have found ways to cheat drastically in both the minor and major leagues of baseball as well as in the Olympics."
Abstract This paper, while acknowledging the positive side of and the need for athletic scholarships, focuses on the negative aspect of athletic scholarships. Some of the negative aspects highlighted in the paper are that athletic scholarships provide an advantage to student athletes that are unfair to non-athletic students. With such a great emphasis on sports, many students feel inferior to athletes, even though they may participate in some other type of extracurricular activity. Furthermore, the paper argues that it is unfair for athletic students to receive all the perks and credits even though they are often absent from the classroom due to practice or competition. At the conclusion of the paper, it is suggested that, while athletic scholarships should be available to athletes, schools should make a greater effort to provide equal opportunities for all other students as well.
From the Paper "As today's society focuses more and more on sports, the educational world is evolving to keep up with the pace. As a result, today's student athletes have even more opportunities and options available to them than they did just a decade ago. In addition to more scholarships in both high school and college education, student today are offered the opportunity to receive part of the credit required to graduate by actively participating in sports."
Abstract On May 13, 1931, the International Olympic Committee, headed by Count Henri Baillet-Latour of Belgium, awarded the 1936 Summer Olympics to Berlin. This paper examines the political and social situation of Germany at the time, under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. It shows how he used the two weeks that the whole world would be watching, to turn Germany into a showcase and soften his anti-semitic policies.
The paper also discusses the games themselves and the controversies surrounding Hitler's apparent snubbing at the victories of black American athletes.
From the Paper "Of course, the Games were not without controversy in the several years prior to 1936. As Hitler assumed power and the Nazis formed a one-party dictatorship, there were efforts to remove the Games from Berlin for political reasons. The United States was especially vehement about moving the games. But, the International Olympic Committee, in trying to prove their rationale for awarding the games to Berlin, claimed that the Games would be under the auspices of the German government, and not the Nazi party,. Perhaps some people forgot that in Germany now these two were one and the same thing. Still, the Games were in the hands of the German Olympic Organizing Committee, headed by a Dr. Lewald, its president, and Dr. Diem, its secretary-general. Both were pre-Nazi Germans, and were not in good standing with the Nazi party, but somehow they managed to retain control."
Abstract In this article the writer looks at the impact and effects that the Olympic Games have had over the years. The writer discusses the various benefits and advantages involved when athletes from different nations participate in such an event. The writer also highlights the positive economic aspects brought about by the Olympics, such as the encouragement of tourism and jobs for the host country.
From the Paper "The Olympic Games offer an opportunity for people of different nations to meet each other, and to communicate and exchange cultural ideas with each other. Beneficial changes, such as promoting a more positive image to the world, and creating publicity and visibility, are enjoyed by the host city. In this way, tourism to the country may be boosted. In addition, the local economy may be stimulated, and jobs may be created. Finally, infrastructure built for the Games may benefit the local inhabitants for many years to come."
Abstract The paper explores how, over the past decade, women's athletics has seen an exceptional increase in popularity. While "traditional" women's sportssuch as tennis, gymnastics and ice-skating have always been popular among the American public, other sports such as soccer, basketball and boxing are gaining new fans. The paper shows, however, that the popularity of women in sports has not been an overnight phenomenon. It explores how women athletes have been slowly knocking down barriers for decades, from Wilma Rudolph (track) to Billie Jean King (tennis) to Nancy Lieberman Kline (basketball), women athletes have done more than just compete, that have campaigned for the inclusion of women in sports and have been outstanding advocates for women in athletics. This paper explores the rise of women's participation in athletics and how the present day has witnessed the best support for women athletes in American history.
From the Paper "Undeniably, women have made remarkable strides in athletics. Women athletes have much more issues to conquer than their male counterparts. For example, male athletes do not have to deal with sexism and a culture that prevents them from realizing their true potential. A revolutionary law, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity at any educational institution that is a recipient of federal funds. Since the enacting Title IX there has been over an eight hundred percent increase in athletics participation among high school girls. The increase in the number of females participating in sports at all levels from elementary school to professional athletes lies in the paradigm shift in our shared values and beliefs."
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses that participating in athletics has proven to be beneficial to the intellectually disabled community in many ways. The writer notes that various organizations throughout the world encourage and promote the involvement of this population in such events. The athletes gain so much from their experiences and the community acknowledges their capabilities. The writer points out that mainstreaming of the disabled into the rest of society promotes the desire for understanding those that are different. The writer notes that there are many organizations that are striving to help the disabled community and are making advancements in society as a whole through their works with the intellectually disabled. The writer concludes that the athletes are obviously benefiting in many ways when they participate in these organizations.
From the Paper "Prior to the 1960s, intellectually disabled individuals were institutionalized and told that physical activity was damaging to them. That changed when President John F. Kennedy funded a program that tested the physical ability of the intellectually disabled. He was an advocate for this shift in belief because his own sister was of special needs and enjoyed sports. His other sister, Eunice, started having intellectually disabled individuals meet at her home to participate in sports and ever since then, it has become an ongoing belief that sports benefit the intellectually disabled community."
"Often times, the disabled can become isolated within society. People do not understand those with disabilities and often neglect to include them in on activities out of fearing the unknown. Through organizations, such as Special Olympics or Disability Challengers, the intellectually disabled are encouraged to participate in athletic and recreational activities. This helps boost the athletes self esteem and self-worth."
Abstract This paper examines the ethical issues and consequences of the increase of drug use among athletes. From Olympians to baseball home-run hitters, the paper looks at who is using -- and why. The author also discusses testing and fines (or other punishment from governing bodies). The paper concludes with a discussion about the ramification of drug use in professional and high level amateur sports, and its influence on society, particularly on impressionable youth athletes.
From the Paper "Athletes have always been contemptuous of sport's attempts to regulate drug use, but they tended to keep their mouths shut. Most resented the upper hand that testing gave management, but they were too afraid of being caught, punished, and embarrassed to speak up unless they were squeaky clean, retired or busted. The line between what is effective and legal and what is effective and illegal is diminishing. It is not clear anymore because the people who are making these illegal and controversial substances are getting good and they are finding ways to dim the line. By all accounts, athletes and coaches are becoming much more aggressive and skillful in using drugs ranging from sodium bicarbonate, which keeps muscles from tiring, to patches soaked with synthetic testosterone to build muscles. Having to resort to such extreme measures to win represents the egocentric nature commonly found in athletes today."
Abstract This paper provides a review and discussion of the scholarly and peer-reviewed literature concerning steroid use among amateur and professional athletes and the legal implications thereof, followed by an analysis of the salient issues.
Contents:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Effects of Steroids
Incidence of Use
Analysis of Legal Issues and Controversies and Reactions
Conclusion
From the Paper "In 1976, amateur athletes were tested for prohibited substances at the Olympic Games in Montreal and again at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela; the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) banned anabolic steroids in 1973 and began random testing of student- athletes for performance-enhancing substances and recreational drugs in 1986. (Allison et al., 2003). Drug testing originally took place only at Division I football bowl games, and at some NCAA championships; however, since 1990, football players in Divisions I-A, I-AA, and II, as well as Division I indoor and outdoor track and field athletes, have been subject to drug testing all year long. Furthermore, Allison and his colleagues report that all NCAA student- athletes are subject to drug testing at NCAA championship events and at post-season bowl games (NCAA, 1998). Not surprisingly, the use of such drugs has attracted attention from those who would seek to gain a competitive edge over their peers as well as those who would attempt to discourage such usage. To better understand the rationale behind such efforts, the general effects of steroids are discussed further below."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed history of ancient and modern Olympic games. The paper includes details of the creating of the winter Olympics, discusses the origins of the modern Olympics and the people behind the movement and looks at the current state of the Olympics.
Tags: ancient games, modern games, greece, coupertin, IOC, olympic ideals, olympic torch, olympic oath, doping
Abstract This essay uncovers how Peter Ueberroth, head of the L.A. Olympic Organizing Committee transformed the games into a monumental opportunity to stage a spectacular event and raise enough to contribute back to the surrounding community. The paper examines the success of the 1984 Olympics through the persepctive of entrepreuneurial organization.
From the Paper "Various factors contributed to the success of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (LAOOC) and much was due to the "infective" personality of Peter Ueberroth. However, as biologist Bertalanffy professed through his systems theory "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".
"Without digging deeply into the theory itself and the resulting holistic philosophy, "systems theory focuses on not only how the parts are arranged and what they do but also the relations which connect the parts into a whole."
Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the ancient and modern Olympic Games that shows how, despite the superficial differences, the events are at heart very similar. It looks at the origin and history of the Olympics.
From the Paper The Olympics have come to us down through the ages as an example of the purity and beauty of athletics. The Olympic ideal is something that we hear touted in the media and that many young athletes dream about as they embark on their athletic careers ..."
Abstract This creative writing paper attempts to capture the spirit and times of the late eighteenth century when a young French woman ruminates on the recent execution of Olympe de Gouges and what it means for France. The paper explores the challenges confronting French women during the period in question and examines in brief some of the social factors which made bloody revolution perhaps inevitable.
From the Paper "They killed Olympe de Gouges the other day - apparently because they found her ideas too revolutionary ("Olympe de Gouges", para.1). The champion of female rights and equality ("Olympe de Gouges", sec.1; Olympe de Gouges, articles 1-17 and postscript), she died as she had lived - courageously - but she nonetheless died far too young. I am one of the young women who read her work and was inspired by it; I am also one of those young women whole stole in amongst the spectators to witness her death as they first led her to the infernal contraption, mocked her, threw rotten fruit at her, and then shouted out in glee as the blade plunged down through the back of her neck. I cannot tell you my horror and shame that France - my France! - should permit such ghastly atrocities to occur."
Abstract This paper considers the costs and benefits of hosting the Olympics, particularly as an effort to inform the efforts of Beijing in 2008. Through review of the literature, and case studies Seoul and Atlanta, the research shows that Beijing can benefit if they use the hosting to impact the national life of China (including standing in the world) and improve very specific parts of the economy.
Abstract In this article, the writer first looks at the amateur status of college athletes and discusses how they are forbidden from profiting from their performances. The writer also discusses the early departure of college athletes for professional leagues. Further, the writer examines the hypocrisy of a system that prohibits student athletes, many of whom devote more than a full-time workweek to their sport outside of classes, from being compensated for their efforts outside of free school-related items like tuition and books. The writer points out that the college system has become inundated with corruption regarding payments and perks offered to players, more and more athletes are electing to skip college or at least a year of it altogether in favor of going professional, and demands on athletes are becoming more and more time-consuming and stringent. The writer maintains that permitting athletes to be paid for performance could alleviate all of these issues as well as help preserve what traditionalists refer to as the "purity" of the college game.
From the Paper "The first of these issues is the "amateur status" of college athletes; they are forbidden from profiting for their performances. Despite this, many universities sign foreign players who may have been paid for performance in their native countries. This issue could be completely averted if the NCAA were to switch to a pay-for-play system that basis players' eligibility on their talent and ability rather than their salary history. Resources spent verifying amateur status and payment sources could be spent where they rightly belong--benefiting the student athletes who make up these programs."
