IOC and dictatorships

It seems that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has a romance going on with dictators. 

From Putin to Xi or even Belarus’ Lukashenko, the world sport organization doesn’t spend too much time analyzing which regime to support as long as it can bid for its Games and bring money in. 

In a few days, at the Beijing winter Olympics, human right will be one more elephant in the room and the fear for being arrested or otherwise punished will dissuade crusader to stand against Xi’s oppressive regime. 

While the Olympic Charter is centered on athletic achievements, patriotism, world peace and collaboration, it might be time to revise it and included human rights as well. No institution is sheltered from change and must walk – it seems – in harmony with an evolving society and evolving values. 

The international spotlight of hosting the Games and t he authority of the IOC should be enough to motivate some political and social change, that would among other things inspire compliance and respect of international human rights law.

Unless of course, the unread or unwritten other critical element of the Olympic Charter is money, money, money...