The article discusses Pierre de Coubertin’s initial resistance to the Winter Olympics, viewing them as inferior to summer sports. Despite allowing ice skating and hockey as part of summer games, it took two decades before the first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 in Chamonix, described then as an “appendix” to the Summer Olympics. Over a century later, the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games will feature 3,500 athletes from 93 countries across 19 days, yet face organizational chaos, including a last-minute arena construction.
The Milan-Cortina Games aim to address excessive spending seen in previous Olympics, particularly the costly Sochi and Beijing Games, facing issues with bids being withdrawn due to public disinterest. This event spans northern Italy instead of a single city, posing logistics challenges. The IOC is exploring hosting in winter-sports-cultured countries but also sees new entrants like Saudi Arabia, which plans to build a vast winter sports resort.
The environmental impact of the Olympics is critical, as many construction projects lack proper assessments, while climate change impacts winter sports viability. The IOC’s sustainability initiatives often clash with the realities of large-scale environmental degradation for the Games. While the Winter Olympics provide entertainment and showcase remarkable athleticism, the article questions their sustainability and relevance in light of these challenges, indicating that the spectacle comes with growing societal and ecological costs.
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