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AllMuckNoPuck t1_j5vfxvn wrote

There is no point if you’re allowing athletes to compete under a neutral flag, at that point you might as well just let them compete under their own flag

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mayy_dayy t1_j5vyrih wrote

"No flag, no country! That's the rules... that I've just made up."

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goliathfasa t1_j5xjmzm wrote

And I’m backing that up with this rifle that’s lent form the National Rifle Association.

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Old_Week t1_j5x2wf7 wrote

Uh, no. The “Olympic Athletes from Russia” team is totally different from the Russian Olympic Team. There’s pretty much no relation to the sanctioned country.

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JordanPoohole3 t1_j5yvo8f wrote

I still think forcing them to compete under a random nation/their most hated rival’s flag is the best punishment!! MORE MEDALS FOR UKRAINE

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MeatballDom t1_j5xs1ag wrote

On the one hand, absolutely, there's really no point in doing this if it's just this.

On the other, athletes don't deserve punishment or exclusion from an event like the Olympics, many of which this will be their only shot at ever competing in, just because their leader is a dick.

It would be nice to make some sort of demand that tv broadcasting affiliates never show the combined medal tally for the unaffiliated athletes though. Even though it means absolutely nothing in reality, these sorts of things do matter for propaganda purposes and "unaffiliated Russian athletes" or "Russia" not showing up at all on these leaderboards will sting a bit for Russian politicians, even if they pretend it doesn't.

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angryve t1_j5yfdb3 wrote

I’ll go ahead and emphatically disagree. Plenty of other jobs have been impacted in Russia due to sanctions. Being an athlete doesn’t make one special. They can deal with their country’s politics if they don’t like it.

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The_ApolloAffair t1_j5yoydw wrote

The Olympics have always been about competing in sports despite any governmental conflict. That’s how it was in Ancient Greece, and that’s how it has continued to be.

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angryve t1_j5yp7n7 wrote

Civilizations grow with time, otherwise we’d still have slavery in the US/Europe. It’s time for the Olympics to grow with the rest of society and stand up against a genocide and illegal occupation

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JordanPoohole3 t1_j5yvrtj wrote

“That’s how it was in Ancient Greece…” do you know what year it is dude??

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The_ApolloAffair t1_j5z5hzs wrote

The US invaded Iraq and overthrew their government. Where was the Olympic ban for that? Where is the Olympic ban for Israel’s war crimes in Palestine? If the Olympics is going to take a stand against war/war crimes, they need to be consistent, and not just vilify the current bogeyman of the west.

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JordanPoohole3 t1_j5zie25 wrote

Well true. But the IOC has always been extremely pro-West and politically biased so…

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notquitetoplan t1_j5yjlwt wrote

Unfortunately the reality is that Olympic athletes are representatives of their countries, as much as they are competing for themselves. And especially in Russia. Yes, it would suck for a lot of people if they were completely banned. But that isn’t anyone’s fault but their own government. The IOC isn’t responsible for that.

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[deleted] t1_j5xs6g9 wrote

[deleted]

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obi_wan_the_phony t1_j5y1fto wrote

Tell that to Ukrainian athletes who instead of competing are just trying to survive. There is no fairness argument here

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angryve t1_j5yfp3c wrote

No it wouldn’t. Plenty of other jobs have been affected by the sanctions. What makes athletes special? They can run faster on a track than others, or throw a rock farther than others?

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DelugeQc t1_j5ve0ns wrote

Why tho?! Just ban them from competing... What an half-ass punishment tbh...

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joebro2022 t1_j5vgm1d wrote

IOC can't just go banning athletes of countries because of the crimes their government commited. Very few countries would be left

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paulc899 t1_j5vl105 wrote

Sure they can. South Africa wasn’t allowed to compete for years.

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joebro2022 t1_j5vrcmj wrote

South Africa's White Minority had voting power unlike Russian Citizens.

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poutinegalvaude t1_j5whlqn wrote

They also had all the power unlike the majority of South Africa’s population

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TheImperios t1_j5xgkuu wrote

The point here is that white South Africans had more agency over their government's actions than Russians.

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poutinegalvaude t1_j5xnb23 wrote

Why would white South Africans want to upset the system that gave them so much money and power?

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TheImperios t1_j5xw4ec wrote

The idea I think is exactly that. That while white South Africans could just vote the apartheid government out if they wanted, Russians cannot and their only option is armed insurgency (which is near-impossible while the regime is strong), meaning they are less to blame.

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poutinegalvaude t1_j5xym3e wrote

I don't think they could have just voted them out, either. In 1946 it was a response to the foundation of the ANC but by 1948 the Herenigde Nasionale were in control and very authoritarian. White dissenters were treated very harshly, thus discouraging any future support for the dismantling of Apartheid.

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TheImperios t1_j5xyng2 wrote

Yeah, it's complicated, IIRC South Africa was effectively ruled by a secret society

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LiveOnFive t1_j5vj5kb wrote

They absolutely can. The International Biathlon Union did it immediately.

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joebro2022 t1_j5vrgt7 wrote

Doesn't make it right

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redditkindasuxballs t1_j5vxlll wrote

No the fact that their countries are causing a war of aggression against a sovereign nation, that’s what makes it right to ban the athletes from competing and bringing their country the prestige and capital that having Olympic athletes gains.

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joebro2022 t1_j5vz7dh wrote

Then a lot of other countries should be banned. As those countries are doing the same.

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PinkLegs t1_j5y9b6d wrote

What other countries?

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joebro2022 t1_j5ytx1h wrote

China, Saudi, Israel, US, France etc.

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PinkLegs t1_j5yvnxi wrote

What sovereign countries are China, Israel, US, France invading these days?

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joebro2022 t1_j5z18wg wrote

China is doing something just as bad

Israel is literally occupying Palestine which is recongnized as sovereign country by most of the World's population and countries

US is not doing anything right now but they didn't get banned when they did.

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PinkLegs t1_j5z3q37 wrote

Palestine is not sovereign, and China is just doing something??

Us is doing nothing, and you just forgot France.

So none of them is doing the same as Russia.

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joebro2022 t1_j5z87l9 wrote

Palestine is a country. Israel should be banned for killing civilans in a foreign country

China is doing genocide if you didn't know

US werent banned when they invaded Iraq so neither should Russia

France has military personnel in Various African countries meddling in their affairs.

No point arguing with someone who doesn't recongnize Palestine as a country

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hamhead t1_j5x3dvm wrote

>IOC can't just go banning athletes of countries because of the crimes their government commited. Very few countries would be left

They absolutely can, and have.

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Ferris_Wheel_Skippy t1_j5vkndz wrote

Totally agree. Either take a stand or just don't bother at all

i'd honestly have more respect for the IOC if they just let the Russians and Belarussians compete under their flags, than this clown bullshit

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CBus-Eagle t1_j5w9i0z wrote

IOC is always way too harsh on Russia.

/s

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Dirty_Quesadilla t1_j5x079m wrote

Don’t you just love that wet noodle stab of defiance they thrusted at their Russian overlords?

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CommonNotCommons t1_j5yzomn wrote

I can’t believe they didn’t get a longer suspension after a giant state-sponsored doping scandal in their own host city.

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alexjaness t1_j5vyiiu wrote

IOC: "you can still compete, but your flag won't be as pretty"

Russia: "NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

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wolfsmanning08 t1_j5wc2ee wrote

I definitely disagree with this. Putin uses the athletes for propaganda, not to mention how many times they've been caught doping. This isn't even a punishment anymore. They've been competing as ROC for years now and it does jack shit.

Are they actually going to enforce this part? Because nearly every single active Russian athlete has shown support for the war.
"This means in particular: first, only those who have not acted against the peace mission of the IOC by actively supporting the war in Ukraine could compete"

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gwaydms t1_j5vuk4n wrote

>Atlethes

That's an... interesting spelling.

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blackmobius t1_j5vlzdb wrote

If they are still doping and still winning then it doesnt matter if they fly a russian flag or one from the olympic committee.

Loosen your belt, open your pants, find your balls, and start banning these clowns

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RJ4Aloha t1_j5vmnla wrote

Don’t let them compete!

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DrunkenKarnieMidget t1_j5wcsuz wrote

So... Exactly what they'd been doing for the last 3 games, since they have issues with doping.

IOC is a fucking joke.

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DaniDiglett22 t1_j5xodmt wrote

I’m sorry but after repeated doping scandals they should be banned.

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RoyHarper88 t1_j5ylxfy wrote

Agreed. It is a perfectly valid, within the scope of the games, reason to do it. They can make a clear statement that it has nothing to do with their invasion of Ukraine and put it all on the cheating.

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2klaedfoorboo t1_j68ybx7 wrote

I don’t think the problem here is the war- it’s the fact that it’s getting out of hand and there needs to be REAL change if they want to be key back

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Chris_M_23 t1_j5vvh2a wrote

Did the 2022 winter olympics even happen? I dont remember seeing a single piece of coverage for it in the news or on social media

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iREDDITnaked t1_j5wn4eb wrote

Yes, Beijing. And Russia invaded Ukraine days after its conclusion.

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RoyHarper88 t1_j5ylq9r wrote

The fact that it's been 11 months since then is absolutely crazy to me.

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Jorsonner t1_j5ydf8p wrote

Yeah there was a fake ski slope right in front of an extremely picturesque power plant

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Oil_slick941611 t1_j5x9a6q wrote

Randomly assign them other flags to compete under. That way there is no “roc” tally on the medal tables.

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hamhead t1_j5x3cfn wrote

So, a bunch of bullshit, again.

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linuxares t1_j5ye6br wrote

Yes let them cheat under the Olympic flag instead

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Moonhunter7 t1_j5wcyvm wrote

You’re banned!! but not really….

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daxxarg t1_j5xc0ph wrote

As long as you pay me you can still compete under a weird different flag

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alvarsnow t1_j5xxlr9 wrote

And the sanctions to Azerbaijan?

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goldmanstocks t1_j5x2t14 wrote

Thats not going to stop Putin from parading them around Russia once they’ve won some medals. It would be more helpful if the IOC just said “No”.

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spicymemesdotcom t1_j5x6qp1 wrote

What happened to keeping politics out of sports? Iran used to get roasted here for refusing to compete against Israel.

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HeftyRecommendation5 t1_j5y5yhg wrote

What happened to keeping politics out of sport? Does that mean politics and sport have ever been separated?

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spicymemesdotcom t1_j5yuri0 wrote

I mean post an article about how an Iranian athlete doesn’t compete with an Israeli one out of conscience and a very different set of morals and rules presents itself than when Poland doesn’t want to compete with Russia.

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cujukenmari t1_j5x8hez wrote

On the one hand I don't think it's fair to punish people based on where they're born. On the other hand it seems the majority of Russian athletes are in support of Putin's genocide of Ukraine, or are being used for Russian propaganda. I honestly don't know what to think about the issue. Curious to hear from those with strong opinions on the issue?

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rileyoneill t1_j5xl7ts wrote

Anyone in Russia who would be going to the Olympics would be a Putin Stooge. No way would they even consider someone who was not 100% on board with the regime to be selected as an athlete.

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damola93 t1_j5xsgwm wrote

There’s no selection if they are banned no?

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kingofargyle t1_j5y2s15 wrote

IOC FIFA both corrupt and out of touch with reality.

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CheapestOfSkates t1_j5yocg1 wrote

Allowed to "compete" and cheat under a neutral flag.

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Midoritora t1_j5wr2hs wrote

Pussies. Russian athletes should be fully banned. All of them. They are not being one in a peaceful world. Ban them all. IOC has a lack of courage to deny all of them the ability to compete.

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LordMalort t1_j5wvvys wrote

Looks like they took a page out of the Air Guitar World Championships playbook... air guitarists from Russia last year competed under the Peace Flag

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out2seeagain t1_j5wz66j wrote

This is just ridiculous! Please tell me that you people see what is actually going on here, we are all being duped.

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Waterwoogem t1_j5x133i wrote

Isn't it still up to the individual sports committees to have final say?

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Lambily t1_j5xfk4u wrote

There is a very simple solution to this. Create a massive social media campaign aimed at the Olympic sponsors. Convince them to drop their support for the IOC. Watch how quickly they reverse their decision.

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SinkOrAlsoSink t1_j5y9wqd wrote

If they're going to let them compete then have them do it as individuals under a neutral flag, with no Russian colours or insignia. But don't let them enter any team event.

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WickedSlice_ t1_j5ycl1d wrote

Why let the Russians compete?

Make them feel pain by not letting them compete.

Also, it allows Russia to continue winning medals and make sure they stay up to date with their doping programs.

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sinesero t1_j600rt2 wrote

Maybe because in Russia most of people don't give a fuck about games without their sportsmans. But IOC want money from tv and other transactions. If no russian athletes russian tv wouldn't pay for translation. The same about FIFA.

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bowser85 t1_j5zz9gz wrote

So… no solidarity

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sinesero t1_j5zzntr wrote

They just want to win Russian not only on war field but on sports too. ... Also partly by hand of russian sportsmans who had leave their home country.

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sandalsf t1_j61ybzq wrote

And so it begins. As the war drags on, complacency settles in and soon people will not care whether or not Russians are banned from sports or not...

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allbright1111 t1_j5xb9dv wrote

Athletes work toward these goals for so much of their entire lives. I appreciate that there is a way for them to compete in a way that deprives their countries of the positive recognition or even just air time.

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Swarby10 t1_j5xk8ff wrote

They shouldn’t be allowed to attend. Not even as spectators.

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Not_Rassie t1_j5w8tmv wrote

Let’s weaponise sport ,,, it’s not as if it was meant to bring us together

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ThePrem t1_j5wyivp wrote

Surprised there are people against this. Why punish the athletes? If anything it just brings more negative attention to Russia than if they weren’t allowed to compete at all.

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TheImperios t1_j5xgpyz wrote

Yep, go ahead, do it, it will definitely make the end of Putinism so much closer

It will certainly not backfire and cause a rally around the flag effect among the populace strengthening his regime and prolonging the war, noooo

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Primary-Bath803 t1_j5w9kbw wrote

If russian atlethes should be prohibited to represent their country in the olimpics, so should the american atlethes for the crimes that US government has commited over the years in Africa, Middle East, etc

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hyzerlord t1_j5w2l4n wrote

Fuck Russia but banning their athletes completely does nothing to deter Russia from being an imperial menace. Why punish athletes who have worked their whole lives for the Olympics, and who have nothing to do with the war? The punishment has to meet the end goal. Banning Russians from the Olympics would only be more propaganda fodder for Putin.

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hamhead t1_j5x3u4o wrote

This is the bullshit logic that results in answers like 'compete under a neutral flag'.

If that's actually how it worked, you'd be right. But the Olympics are actually a system of a country showing how impressive they are - especially when you're talking about the top few countries - and nobody fucking believes that the athletes aren't Russian just because they don't have a Russian flag on.

You punish the athletes because the athletes are competing under the auspices of a government. The same reason you punish the people of Russia (or wherever) through economic sanctions even though those don't directly impact those in power.

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SgtKrowyn t1_j5vl7em wrote

The point of organized sport competitions is about sports and the ability of athlete. It is supposted to be a thing above politics. Banning the Russian and Belarus is a political statement but it's good they don't harm the sports due to politics

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tads_the_way t1_j5w2ccj wrote

You’re getting downvoted but I agree to an extent. I’m against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but if the Olympics starts picking which issues they want to ban countries’ representation of and which issues they don’t want to do this for, then you’ll no longer have a globally-united Olympics. You’ll just have an Olympics among the countries in the majority that agree with each other. The point to me is for everyone to put their arms down for a couple weeks and unify

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dbg19 t1_j5x4o6s wrote

Ukraine cannot practice because Russias invasion has destroyed its facilities to do so. Russia should be banned from the olympics…

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Such-Fail t1_j5vribb wrote

Honestly even politic aside they shouldn’t compete. Russia has shown time and time again that they are happy to ignore rules regarding doping. If they can’t play by the rules and keep PEDs out of their athletes then they shouldn’t be allowed to play.

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Sorryyoudidntknow t1_j5vt91a wrote

That might be the point of sports for you but that doesn’t mean that’s the reality of what they mean for the world and geopolitics.

Believe it or not your perspective is not ultimately a truth :)

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