WILL THAULT: The Melancholympics, Part II … keeping the flame burning

Digging deeper into the many causes of what has turned the Olympic Games into the Melancholympics, I found one more – perhaps exposing the very root of the problem. And it came from a most unlikely source: The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself.

Never has there been a greater example, metaphorically speaking, of a self-inflicted wound.

Just days before The Games, the IOC published new guidelines (you can read them on their website, https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-extends-opportunities-for-athlete-expression-during-the-olympic-games-tokyo-2020). The implementation of the new Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter just days before the event was “aimed at preserving the protection of the neutrality of sport at the Olympic Games and the neutrality of the Games themselves.”

It went on to say, “The new version of the IOC Guidelines provides further clarity and guidance to athletes competing in Tokyo this summer on the wide range of opportunities available to them to express their views, including on the Field of Play prior to the start of the competition.” These “views” could also be expressed “during the introduction of the individual athlete or team (so long as they are) not targeted, directly or indirectly, against people, countries, organizations and/or their dignity.”

Well, that certainly clears things up, doesn’t it?

So the IOC sets the stage for officially allowing political demonstrations on the field “aimed at preserving the protection of the neutrality of sport at the Olympic Games.” Am I the only one who sees the irony in this statement?

Now that the door was wide open, activist athletes predictably walked in and acted out their moment in the spotlight. Don’t get me wrong. There are human rights issues worldwide that need to be addressed, but turning sporting events into mini-political rallies smacks more of cynical self-promotion rather than demonstrating sincerity in their cause. Instead, these attention-seekers act out on the national stage knowing full well how easy it’ll be to attract mainstream media to focus their lens on the shiny object.

I don’t deny that some of these protesters are sincerely passionate about their causes, but common sense says that there’s a time and place for everything. Imagine going to a five-star restaurant and ordering a steak, but first before being served, you’re ushered to the back where you have to watch them carve off a piece of meat from the carcass you’re about to eat. There’s a good possibility that you might lose your appetite for that steak you ordered.

In spite of all these distractions, I did find moments of inspiration this week, giving rise to the hope that the Eternal Flame won’t be eternally snuffed out. Pardon my national pride, but I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the USA swim and women’s beach volleyball teams rack up the gold, but no victories were more poignant than Tamyra Mensah-Stock’s winning of the women’s freestyle light heavyweight wrestling gold medal when she said, “It feels amazing; I love representing the U.S.; I freaking love living there, and I love it!”

Mensah-Stock was the second American woman, and first black woman to win wrestling gold in Olympic history. Her enthusiastic American patriotism was a welcome relief from all the attention given to the seemingly endless parade of protesters and social justice warriors.

None was more adept at it than the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team. Kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem or other ceremonial sporting events has become so routine for them that if you don’t kneel, you’re automatically labeled as being anti whatever social injustice is proclaimed by team captain Megan Rapinoe. Sometimes it just takes more courage to take a stand and “opt-out” of this stunt. And that’s just what soccer teammate Carli Lloyd did on the field prior to the start of the bronze medal game against Australia last week.

In fact, except for the opposing team, she was the only player standing while the rest of the U.S. team knelt on the field. Even staffers and referees took a knee. Supporters are quick to say this didn’t occur on the ceremonial platform or during our National Anthem, but the optics are still the same. Since the team was playing for the bronze, they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem anyway, since that courtesy is only extended to the gold medal winners.

Lloyd’s act showed far more courage than those who knelt. Imagine the peer pressure of not going along with the crowd. I don’t know her politics and couldn’t find any quotes online when I did a search for them, but that’s all the more telling about her character. This woman was there to compete for a medal at the Olympics, and compete she did! The team won the bronze. She contributed two goals in the 4-3 win over Australia. In doing so, she now owns the record for the most goals scored by an American woman in the Olympics. This was Lloyd’s fourth Olympics and her 312th international appearance, second only to Kristine Lilly.

So I’d like you to join me in offering up two special gold medals in memory of what the Olympics once stood for. First, a gold medal to Tamyra Mensah-Stock for demonstrating her unapologetic and enthusiastic love of country, and a gold medal to Carli Lloyd for having the courage to stand alone, when kneeling would’ve been so much easier. Thank you for keeping the flickering flame alive.