The history of the Olympics can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, but the modern Olympic Games were established by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1896. After visiting Athens, Greece, Coubertin was inspired to revive and modernize the Olympic Games. His dedication to promoting physical education created what is now known as the International Olympic Committee (). There were originally only 14 countries represented in early modern games. The Olympics have undergone major overhauls in the 20th and 21st centuries to keep up with certain technological, economic, and medical standards of the times. The original intent of the Olympics was to showcase amateur athletes while showcasing the host country. It has now become an event to showcase not only the host country but also its famous athletes and showcase the host country's impact on the world. For more than a century, the Olympics have become a focal point of unity, education and pride. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay While fun and exciting, the Olympic Games can be an extreme waste of time, money, and energy. The Olympics were created with pure and good intentions; however, people can participate in games with bad or malicious intentions. The Olympic Games have been tainted by the amount of illegal activity that occurs before, during and after each event in a variety of different sports. Corruption, advances in technology and modern medicine; and political antics have been some of the issues the Olympics have faced in modern times. The lack of human rights and unethical treatment of people from the host country have recently become a problem, especially in the last two Olympics. The host country's event space budget has also become a recent controversy as more and more Olympic sites are built but not restored. Regardless of the negative and positive statements, the question remains the same. Are the Olympics truly a symbol of unity or are they a corporate giant that cares nothing or anyone but money? Even before performance-enhancing drugs came onto the scene, doping was a fairly accepted practice at the Olympics. By 1904, mixtures of strychnine, heroin, cocaine, and caffeine were widely used by athletes, and each coach or team developed their own unique secret formulas. This was common practice until heroin and cocaine became available only by prescription in the 1920s. (1992, Performance Enhancing Drugs and Drugs of Abuse). During World War II, drugs were tested by both Allied and Axis forces as a way to improve soldiers' strength and endurance. The first anabolic steroid was created in 1958 and quickly became popular among athletes. From that point on it became apparent that athletes were abusing the new creation. Although the Olympic Committee had been cracking down on doping since the 1920s, the rules were not strict enough for newer drugs. The first documented doping scandal at the modern Olympics dates back to 1960. The Danish cyclist, Knut Jensen, died on 26 August 1960 at the Rome Summer Olympics during the 100 km team time trial (2009, Historical Timeline: History of Performance sport). After that unfortunate incident, it took more than 8 years before a full investigation took place and stricter rules were enforced. The first official drug testing for Olympic athletes did not begin until the 1970s. From that point on, the International Olympic Committeehas fought and continues to fight to control performance-enhancing drugs. The widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs did not exclude any sport, so random drug tests had to be carried out during Olympic week. In recent times, doping has become a regular occurrence at the Olympics and is now expected to happen. This raises the question to many people around the world as to why we praise those athletes who use drugs to compete in the Olympics. Thousands of athletes who train healthily and honestly, yet don't make it to the Olympics. In this year's Summer Olympics, three-quarters of the Russian Olympic team were barred from competing due to a domestic doping scandal that undermined Russia's credibility. Although efforts have been made to reduce the amount of doping, many critics have failed to see the need for the Olympics. Ultimately, we expect professional athletes and coaches to train the right way and be positive role models for younger athletes and their fellow athletes. How can you be a positive role model when ingesting drugs that can cause potential harm? In the summer of 1998, the world was shocked when an increasing number of athletes in the cycling world tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. In the following months, the IOC, along with other national committees and international sports federations, met in a conference to combat the growing problem. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded on 10 November 1999 in Lausanne to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sport at an international level. WADA was created as a foundation on the initiative of the IOC with the support and participation of intergovernmental organizations, governments, public authorities and other public and private bodies combating doping in sport. () With medical advances, WADA has been able to compile a comprehensive list of drugs and medications deemed prohibited to any athlete competing at a professional level. Many of the medications on the list actually help with existing ailments, and some perhaps are ingredients found in ordinary things we ingest. The blame cannot be placed entirely on the athletes. For example, at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the East German women's swimming team was unaware that they were using banned substances. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany was discovered to be part of a state-wide doping scandal that had drugged countless athletes. ()As described in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to cheat means to break a rule or law usually to gain an advantage in something (). Cheating is not a new concept at all, but when put on a larger, more professional scale, it can destroy any career in a matter of seconds. Many athletes, coaches and even officials have tried to justify why they cheated, but that doesn't stop their fate when it comes to an international context. Some teams and athletes have become more subtle about cheating methods in the modern Olympics. One of the largest Winter Olympics cheating scandals is the 2002 Olympics bribery case in Salt Lake City, Utah. The United States Olympic Committee has made its way into the spotlight. The investigation found that the United States bribed the IOC with tickets to Super Bowl games, pre-arranged ski trips and large sums of money (). The United States was given only a simple slap on the wrist from the IOC, but a lifetime of shame for the Americans watching. Another example is when the Chinese women's gymnastics team brought a fourteen-year-old girl into theown team without anyone else knowing. It was only when a thorough investigation was conducted into the Chinese Olympic team that the gymnast's secret was discovered. She and the rest of her teammates were stripped of their bronze medals. However, cheating has been shown to occur in every Olympic match with little to no change in how possible cheats are selected. Why would anyone continue to support an event if even professional athletes had to cheat to win? The IOC makes it a top priority to investigate all those who decide to cheat and abuse substances. All teams and athletes have the opportunity to appeal and contest any calls made by the judges. The Olympics do not take allegations of cheating and doping lightly. They have been known to give swift and severe punishments to those individuals. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, American track and field star Marion Jones won 5 events in one Olympics. Seven years later, after lying to federal investigators and the IOC, he admitted to having used banned substances during that race. Her medals, titles and documents were stripped from her and she was required to serve six months in prison for her involvement in the illegal distribution of steroids and for lying to the FBI about it. () In contrast, 4 women's badminton teams were disqualified because they did not put enough effort into the game. It was considered cheating because they were planning their victories and defeats unfairly. The Olympics prides itself on being a place where countries can leave behind political differences and personal struggles and simply compete. This message is confused with using the international context offered by the Olympics as a way to make a political and often inappropriate statement. The best-known political statement at the games was the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Adolf Hitler had already been in power for 3 years, but the outside world still had no idea how his power and influence would take over German society. In addition to that, these Olympic Games would be the first televised sporting event of its time. () False promises and growing propaganda encouraged countries not to boycott the games. The most iconic footage ever captured was Hitler's refusal to award Jesse Owens the gold medals he had won. His actions spoke louder than any words he could have ever muttered. That act led many to confirm the rumors about Nazi Germany. It would only be three years later when Germany declared war on Poland, starting the bloodiest war known to man. “When Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City, bowed their heads and raised their black-gloved fists during the playing of the national anthem, millions of their countrymen were outraged . But countless millions more around the world are thrilled at the sight of two men standing before the world, without fear, expressing disillusionment with a nation that has so often fallen, and continues to fall, so far short of its promise.” () This subtle call for political indifference was out of place in the eyes of Americans, who were just getting used to desegregation and biracial unions. How can the IOC promote peace when political stunts are allowed without punishment? Politics will always be part of the Olympics, whether anyone accepts it or not. In Rio, the IOC made history when two special teams were allowed to parade during the opening ceremony. One was a team made up of refugees and the other was made up of athletes whose countries could not compete for political reasons. This symbolizedthat, even in times of hardship and displacement, the Olympics are a place where athletes can compete for personal pride and raise awareness about some of the issues in today's world. As defined by the United Nations, “Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings.” human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible." () That said, regardless of the era, human rights have always been violated, especially at the Olympics. Women were not allowed to participate until 1900, and the only games included were labeled "women's events". ()In many Muslim countries, many women still cannot compete due to the lack of equality. The recent development of competing openly gay and transgender athletes has caused unwanted hatred and bigotry in many countries. Aside from the unethical treatment of athletes, it is mostly residents of the host country who are concerned. Like any other major international that a country hosts, there is an increase in crime against tourists and an increase in human trafficking by the local population. The risk of children being sold for sex and labor increases tenfold during the Olympics and other sporting events. Why would anyone support an organization if it doesn't crack down on human rights abuses? The Olympics are known for revolutionizing the field of equality and human rights. In 2013, Vladimir Putin had implemented anti-gay propaganda a year before the Sochi Olympics took place. The IOC has asked Putin to reconsider this law as it would exclude and instill fear in many athletes. This would also cause many countries to boycott due to intolerant laws. ()At the 2012 London Olympics, women's boxing was included, closing the divide between men's and women's sports. () The IOC has also required countries to send a certain number of female delegates otherwise they will not be able to participate in the Olympics. With the understanding that crime and human trafficking will be prevalent and growing as tourists and athletes arrive, the IOC has established strong relationships with local and international agencies to fight crime and save young victims from the horrors of trafficking of human beings. . In the recent Rio Olympics, “Police in Rio de Janeiro rescued three girls as young as 15 from among eight people forced to work in a prostitution ring near the beaches where the Olympic events will be held.” ()When you think of the Olympics, you think of the money spent on advertising, construction and entertainment. What you don't think about is what happens behind the scenes. For those living in the host country, most believe they will work for pay, especially in the case of the Olympic Games in Rio and Sochi. According to a volunteer from Rio: “A lot of volunteers had to quit because they had to work two weeks straight, the hours were messed up, a lot of people quit because of the food: they were told to work eight, nine hours and they were only provided with a small snack." ()The lack of such attention for the volunteers is measured only by the fact that the living spaces and the sports hall were not suitable for either the residents or the competitors. In Sochi many buildings in the Olympic village were incomplete and totally unlivable .Most of the work had not been completed before the games started, so the results were mediocre and atrocious. The main concern for any Olympic host country is the fact that the event will take place for two weeks but the budget is.