I completely disagree with the opinion that international sporting events are essential in easing international tensions and shall outline my reasons in this essay.
International tensions are caused by many things, including political differences, religious issues and inequalities in levels of economic development. Sporting events are temporary and clearly have little or no advantageous effect on international relations. The Beijing Olympics, which were hailed as a wonderful opportunity to improve China’s relations with other countries, have apparently done nothing to further its relations with Japan. North Korea’s participation in the 2010 World Cup has not led to any decrease in the dangerous level of tension between that country and South Korea and the United States. Indeed, each side will no doubt say that this is the fault of the other, thereby possibly increasing tensions!
Sporting events have been used as opportunities for certain groups of people to increase international tensions. In 1972, the Munich Olympics were hijacked by Palestinian terrorists and the extremely high levels of security at the Beijing Games are bound to be repeated – or even raised – for the London Olympics. To then suggest that such sporting events are essential to decrease international tensions seems to me to completely ignore history.
Having said this, I do think that international sporting events could ease tensions, but the link doesn’t seem particularly obvious. Does the Ryder Cup (in golf) ease tensions between the USA and Europe? I have never heard politicians saying that the Tour de France (in cycling) has helped reduce international tensions. Certainly, sporting events like these bring people together from a variety of nations to enjoy their love of sport, but I think that taking this to mean that such events are ‘essential’ in easing international tensions is going too far.
In conclusion, international sporting events are all well and good, but do not contribute greatly to world peace.
I completely disagree with the opinion that
international
sporting
events
are essential in easing
international
tensions
and shall outline my reasons in this essay.
International
tensions
are caused
by
many
things, including political differences, religious issues and inequalities in levels of economic development. Sporting
events
are temporary and
clearly
have
little
or no advantageous effect on
international
relations. The Beijing Olympics, which
were hailed
as a wonderful opportunity to
improve
China’s relations with other countries, have
apparently
done nothing to
further
its relations with Japan. North Korea’s participation in the 2010 World Cup has not led to any decrease in the
dangerous
level of
tension
between that country and South Korea and the United States.
Indeed
, each side will no doubt say that this is the fault of the other, thereby
possibly
increasing tensions!
Sporting
events
have been
used
as opportunities for certain groups of
people
to increase
international
tensions
. In 1972, the Munich Olympics
were hijacked
by Palestinian terrorists and the
extremely
high levels of security at the Beijing Games
are bound
to
be repeated
–
or even raised
–
for the London Olympics. To then suggest that such sporting
events
are essential to decrease
international
tensions
seems to me to completely
ignore
history.
Having said this, I do
think
that
international
sporting
events
could
ease
tensions
,
but
the link doesn’t seem
particularly
obvious. Does the Ryder Cup (in golf)
ease
tensions
between the USA and Europe? I have never heard politicians saying that the Tour de France (in cycling) has
helped
reduce
international
tensions
.
Certainly
, sporting
events
like these bring
people
together from a variety of nations to enjoy their
love
of sport,
but
I
think
that taking this to mean that such
events
are ‘essential’ in easing
international
tensions
is going too far.
In conclusion
,
international
sporting
events
are all well and
good
,
but
do not contribute
greatly
to world peace.