IOC is all hat no cattle.
In 2018, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach took a victory lap after the announcement that the United States and North Korea and its leaders would meet face to face. Bach somehow thought that he and the International Olympic Committee were somehow responsible for that and the possibility of North Korea and South Korea finding some common ground to improve the relationship between the two countries. But in 2021, Bach has a problem. Beijing, China is the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics and activists are complaining that Bach’s group has overlooked human rights abuses in Tibet and abuses against the Uighurs. Bach is now singing a different tune saying his committee is not a super world government and has no ability to influence global political issues with China. Human rights cannot interfere with the IOC’s money.
In the past, the IOC acted as if it is a sovereign nation complete with a flag and official permanent observer status at the United Nations. The IOC can make demands of cities that include having local taxpayers pick up the bills of cost overruns at an Olympics or close off roads in order for the IOC’s officials to get to a venue without having to sit in traffic. But it is up to local politicians and elected officials to cave and give into the IOC. When it comes to real world issues, Bach and the International Olympic Committee are paper tigers and have no teeth. The IOC puts on a show filled with smoke and mirrors. The IOC placed an Olympics in Beijing in 2008 and in Sochi in 2014 despite protests from human rights organizations about China and Russia’s policies. Bach is no diplomat but sometimes acts as one when it suits him.
Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191
