The word 'Game' reminds me more of a casino rather than what olympism is all about. The greek word 'agon' (AΓΩN) means labour, strife, endeavour, effort, attempt. The olympic spirit as described by the modern greek poet Kostis Palamas in his Olympic Hymn (the olympic anthem), is buried under today's super-game commercialism. It has often been argued that also in ancient times, olympionicae (olympic winners) were indeed worshipped, offered much much more except an olive-tree branch (the kotinos). But the ancient mentality of olympism is parasangs away from the modern attitude which is either romantic or cynically commercial. The distortion started during the roman times. Today's inequalities on athletes' preparation are huge, unprecedented and totally unacceptable. Professionals and amateurs are thrown into the same arena. Olympics are now a commercial bazaar: money, 'gifts', artificial preparation, 'sponsors', television battles for the broadcasting...
Would it be better to let the olympics 'sleep' for a couple of centuries, and perhaps revive them again later?
Still... The OLYMPIAD is the sole common activity of all humans. We have no other. It will always reflect the ecumenical cultural status. It is our mirror. If we do not like what we see, that is still our true image. Maybe, in the future, homines from all planets will be coming together every 4 years... they will not remember why, but they will still do so.
When the olympics returned to Greece in 2004, I gladly became an olympic volunteer. To honour the non-professional athletes that came here from hundreds of countries all over the Earth, to this feast of mankind. One day, they will be telling their grandchildren: I was there!!!
It is a great honour and a symbolic moment for the turn of history that the tiny Greece gave the olympic relay to the great China.
Katerina Sarri, Athens, 14 SEP 2007