Are the Olympics a sport or are they a business? Summer of 2024 has us in Paris enjoying the Paris summer and watching professional athletes compete for Gold.
There is no denying that ALL athletes benefit monetarily from winning.
There is no denying that companies benefit monetarily. There is no denying that the Olympics themselves and the host country make money. So why do we have a collective “moral cringe” in acknowledging it?
Sports, entertainment, and competition is a business. People make money and governments get to make political statements, yet somehow, someway, this idea of athletes, companies, and countries making money is somewhat…exploitive?
Hogwash! The fact of the matter is that the Olympics are a massive investment. They require funding – a lot of funding. The fact of the matter is that athletes are a huge investment, and they provide entertainment. The fact of the matter is that host countries spend vast amounts to produce these games. Isn’t it time that we acknowledge that, as athletes, they absolutely should be paid. We should acknowledge that the Olympics are absolutely a business, and that people should absolutely make money.
The lines in our modern world have become blurred. It is no longer Sports, but rather Sports and Entertainment, and entertainers get paid. I am as patriotic as the next person, and I love to see Canada win… and I am
willing to pay for it. And I will sleep like a baby without any moral ambiguity, thank you very much.
