I view the Olympics (and perhaps more so events like the Football World Cup) as a means of channeling the energies that also inspire war: national pride, intern

I view the Olympics (and perhaps more so events like the Football World Cup) as a means of channeling the energies that also inspire war: national pride, international rivalries, etc etc. Hopefully that diversion of energy works as an outlet to diffuse real world tensions. But at the same time the professionalisation of the whole thing detracts somewhat. The US and China win so many medals because they invest so much money in their athletic programs. Even in a theoretical meritocracy money still speaks. The few exceptions are sports like marathon running where smaller countries can remain competitive.