The history of the Olympic Games dates back to the ancient Greeks, but the modern Olympic Games were created by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1896. After visiting Athens, Greece , Coubertin was inspired to bring back and modernize the Olympic Games. His dedication to promoting physical education created what is known today as the International Olympic Committee (). Originally, only 14 countries were represented in the first modern games. The Olympic Games have undergone major redesigns in the 20th and 21st centuries to meet certain technological, economic and medical standards of the time. The original intention of the Olympics was to highlight amateur athletes while also showcasing the host country. Today, it has become an event to showcase not only the host country, but also its famous athletes and show the host country's impact on the world. For more than a century, the Olympic Games have become the focal point of unity, education and pride. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Although fun and exciting, the Olympic Games can be an extreme waste of time, money, and energy. The Olympic Games were created with pure and good intentions; However, people may participate in games with bad or bad intentions. The Olympic Games have been tainted by the amount of illegal activity that occurs before, during and after each event in a variety of different sports. Corruption, advances in technology and modern medicine; and political antics are some of the problems the Olympics have faced in modern times. Lack of respect for human rights and unethical treatment of the host country's population has recently become a problem, particularly during the last two Olympic Games. The budget for host country event spaces has also become a recent controversy as more Olympic venues are built but not restored. Regardless of the negative and positive statements, the question remains the same. Are the Olympics really a symbol of unity or is it a giant corporation that doesn't care about anything or anyone except money? Even before performance-enhancing drugs entered the scene, doping was a somewhat accepted practice at the Olympics. By 1904, athletes were widely using mixtures of strychnine, heroin, cocaine and caffeine and each coach or team developed their own secret formula. This was common practice until heroin and cocaine became available only by prescription in the 1920s. (1992, Performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse). During World War II, drugs were tested by Allied and Axis forces as a way to improve soldiers' strength and endurance. The very first anabolic steroid was created in 1958 and quickly became popular with athletes. From this point on, it becomes obvious that the athletes are abusing the new creation. Although the Olympic Committee has been cracking down on doping since the 1920s, the rules weren't strict enough for new drugs. The first reported doping scandal at the modern Olympics was in 1960. Danish cyclist Knut Jensen died on August 26, 1960 at the Summer Olympics in Rome during the 100 km team time trial (2009, Historical Timeline : History of performance). Reinforcement of drugs in sport). After this unfortunate incident, it took more than 8 years for a thorough investigation to be carried out andthat stricter rules be applied. The first official doping tests for Olympic athletes did not begin until the 1970s. Since then, the International Olympic Committee has and continues to struggle with its control over performance-enhancing drugs. The widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs did not exclude any sport, so random drug testing had to be implemented during Olympic week. In recent times, doping has become a common occurrence at the Olympics and is now expected to occur. This raises the question of many people around the world: why congratulate athletes who use drugs for participating in the Olympic Games. Thousands of athletes train healthily and honestly, but fail to make it to the Olympics. At this year's Summer Olympics, three-quarters of the Russian Olympic team were excluded from competition due to a domestic doping scandal that damaged Russia's credibility. Although efforts have been made to reduce doping, many critics have failed to recognize the need for the Olympics. Ultimately, we expect professional athletes and coaches to train the right way and be positive role models for young athletes and their compatriots. How can you be a positive role model when ingesting potentially harmful drugs? In the summer of 1998, the world was shocked when a growing number of athletes from the cycling world tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Over the following months, the IOC along with other national committees and international sports federations came together at a conference to combat this growing problem. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was created on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sport at the international level. WADA was established as a foundation at the initiative of the IOC with the support and participation of intergovernmental organizations, governments, public authorities and other public and private bodies combating doping in sport. () Thanks to advances in medicine, WADA has been able to compile a comprehensive list of drugs and medications that have been deemed prohibited for any athlete competing at the professional level. Many medications on the list actually help treat existing illnesses and some may be ingredients found in ordinary things we ingest. The blame cannot be placed entirely on the athletes. For example, during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the East German women's swimming team was unaware that they were using banned substances. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany was discovered to be part of a statewide doping scandal that had drugged countless athletes. () As described in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, cheating is breaking a rule or law, usually to gain an advantage in something (). Cheating is by no means a new concept, but when applied on a broader, more professional scale, it can destroy any career in seconds. Many athletes, coaches, and even officials have tried to justify their cheating, but that doesn't stop their plight when it comes to an international context. Some teams and athletes have become more sneaky about cheating methods in the modern Olympics. One of the biggest Winter Olympics cheating scandals is the 2002 Olympics corruption case in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Olympic CommitteeAmerican bought his place by placing himself in the spotlight. The investigation found that the United States bribed the IOC with tickets to Super Bowl games, prearranged ski trips and large sums of money (). The United States received little more than a slap on the wrist from the IOC, but a lifetime of shame for the Americans watching. Another example is when the Chinese women's gymnastics team recruited a fourteen-year-old girl into their team without anyone knowing. It was only after a thorough investigation into the Chinese Olympic team that the gymnast's secret was discovered. She and the rest of her teammates were stripped of their bronze medals. Nonetheless, cheating has been proven to occur in every Olympic match with little or no change in how they detect possible cheating. Why would anyone continue to support an event if even professional athletes cheat to win? The IOC has made it a top priority to investigate anyone who decides to cheat and abuse substances. All teams and athletes have the opportunity to appeal and challenge any decision of the judges. The Olympics do not take accusations of cheating and doping lightly. They have been known to mete out swift and severe punishments to these individuals. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, American track and field star Marion Jones won 5 events in a single Olympics. Seven years later, after lying to federal investigators and the IOC, he admitted to using banned substances during that race. Her medals, titles and records were stripped from her and she had to serve six months in prison for her involvement in the illegal distribution of steroids and for lying to the FBI about it. () On the other hand, 4 women's badminton teams were disqualified because they did not put enough effort into the game. This was considered cheating because they strategized unfairly for their victories and their defeats. The Olympics prides itself on being a place where countries can leave political differences and personal struggles behind and simply compete. This message is confused with using the international context of the Olympics as a means to make a political and often inappropriate statement. The most famous political statement at the Games was that of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Adolf Hitler had already been in power for three years, but the outside world still had no idea how his power and influence spread. would take over German society. On top of that, these Olympics would be the first televised sporting event of its time. () False promises and increased propaganda encouraged countries not to boycott the games. The most iconic sequence ever filmed is Hitler's refusal to award Jesse Owens the gold medals he won. His actions spoke louder than any words he could ever whisper. This act alone led many people to confirm the rumors about Nazi Germany. It was only three years later that Germany declared war on Poland, triggering the bloodiest war ever known. “When Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico, bowed their heads and raised black-gloved fists during the national anthem, millions of their compatriots Americans were outraged. But millions more around the world were thrilled at the sight of two men standing before the world, fearlessly, expressing their disillusionment with a nation that so often has fallen, and still falls, so far from itspromises. () This subtle reminder of political indifference was inappropriate in the eyes of Americans, who were just beginning to get used to desegregation and biracial unions. How can the IOC promote peace when political stunts are allowed without sanctions? Politics will always be part of the Olympics, whether anyone accepts it or not. In Rio, the IOC made history when two special teams were able to march during the open ceremony. One was a team made up of refugees and the other was made up of athletes whose countries were unable to compete due to political reasons. This symbolizes that even in times of hardship and displacement, the Olympics are a place where athletes can compete for their own personal pride and raise awareness of some issues in our world today. As defined by the United Nations, “human rights are rights inherent to all human beings.” human beings, regardless of our nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights, without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. () That being said, regardless of the era, human rights have always been violated, especially during the Olympic Games. Women were not allowed to compete until 1900 and the only games they were included in were labeled "women's events". ()In many Muslim countries, many women still cannot compete due to lack of equality. The recent development of competitions by openly gay and transgender athletes has caused unwanted hatred and bigotry in many countries. Aside from the unethical treatment of athletes, it is the residents of the host country who have the most reason to be concerned. Like any other major international competition that a country hosts, comes the increase in crime against tourists as well as the increase in human trafficking from the local population. The risk of children being sold for sex and labor increases tenfold when the Olympics and other sporting events take place. Why should anyone support an organization if it does not crack down on human rights violations? The Olympic Games are known for being pioneers in equality and human rights. In 2013, Vladimir Putin launched anti-homosexual propaganda a year before the Sochi Olympic Games. The IOC asked Putin to reconsider such a law because it would exclude and instill fear in many athletes. This would also cause many countries to boycott the country due to intolerant laws. () At the 2012 London Olympics, women's boxing was included, reducing the divide between men's and women's sports. () The IOC also required countries to send a certain number of female delegates, otherwise they will not be able to attend the Olympics. Recognizing that crime and human trafficking will be widespread and increase with the arrival of tourists and athletes, the IOC has established strong relationships with local and international agencies to combat crime and save young victims from the horrors of human trafficking. . During the recent Rio Olympics, "Rio de Janeiro police rescued three girls aged just 15 from among eight people forced to work in a prostitution ring near the beaches where the Olympic events will take place." ()When we think of the Olympics, we think of the money spent on advertising, construction and entertainment. What we don't think about.