Sport, Politics, & The Olympics

Prior to the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, the people of the country were not content with what was going on in regards to the Olympics. They witnessed their government spending millions of dollars preparing for the Olympics, but left the people in suppression of independent labor unions, farmers, and economy. Students in Mexico City formed the Student Movement. The Student Movement was created to get students (high school and college) to stand up for their people, and to try show their government they wanted democracy. These living condition were not acceptable to the them, and they wanted a change. On October 2, (10 days before the Olympics), 10,000 students accumulated in the Plaza de las Tres Cultura in Tlatelolco for a "peaceful rally". They all started chanting " We don't want the Olympics, we want revolution". The government saw this as a threat, and ordered 5,000 soldiers, and 200 tankettes down to the plaza to break it up. This is when shots broke out, and 42 people were killed. After, this had happened the media and government stated that the "peaceful rally" was a riot, and that one of the rioter's started shooting first. Low and behold, later on the investigation relieved that the shooter was ordered by the government to go down to the plaza to start shooting the students. Numerous students witnessed a helicopter give a sign for the soldiers to start shooting as well. By the government, lying about what had happened just showed they wanted to cover it up, and show that the people were being chaotic. The massacre was the people's fault, and the government was just trying to keep the "problem under control" in the government's eyes. They also, didn't want this to have an effect on the Olympic Games.

To connect this event prior to the 1968 Olympics, with Sage and Eitzen's five political uses of sport would be with demonstration and violence. All these students wanted was to establish a democracy before the government spent a great deal of time preparing for the Olympics. The people and students were frustrated that the Olympic Games were more important than their needs as a country.These students and people were standing up for what they thought was right. They wanted a change, so they decided to do something about it. It is depressing to know that from everything in history leading up till now, people who want change, and stand up for what they believe in will always suffer for it.

In regards to the statement "Sport is pure and devoid of political interference" I strongly disagree. There is always going to be politics in sport whether we like it or not. What happens in the world is always going to have an impact on sports, and someone is always going to have a say about it. It is sad to say, but it seems it is something we are going to have to get used to and deal with.