Sport, Politics and the Olympics

During the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City one of the most memorable political statements took place. Athletes, Tommy Smith and John Carlos where American runners who had just won the gold and bronze medal respectfully. After the race the two athletes where presented there medals, while the gold medalists (Tommy Smith) national anthem played throughout the stadium. Once the national anthem began the two men who where also African American raised there fist with black gloves on to salute black power. They also wore no shoes on the podium but chose to wear black socks only which represented black poverty within the United States.  After the event Tommy Smith later stated that the gloves did not represent black power instead they represented a human rights salute.  This event took place because these two incredible athletes wanted to be excepted for who they where not for just being Olympians. They wanted to make a statement that was felt around the world and thats exactly what they did.  Of the 5 political uses of sports that Sage and Eitten's discusses I believe the one that is most relevant to this situation is the use of the Olympics for political purposes by organizations outside the host nation because, these men where wanting to make a political statement to there country and identified the Olympics as the perfect stage to make a non violent statement that was felt around the world.  In regards to sports being pure and devoid of political interference I personally disagree with this statement. I believe that sports are one of the biggest and most powerful stages to conduct political movements and believe that we continue to see that in todays society. Both Smith and Carlos identified the importance of the stage in which they where on and used that stage to make a political movement that was seen and remembered around the world to this day. Sports are far more than just a game with a winner and looser they are historical events in our society and remembered throughout history for the actions and influences they had on our culture as a whole.