Chinese sportstars

Sport is politicised, but when that politicisation deals with politics ‘the West’ doesn’t like you will hear that old line: “Sport and politics shouldn’t mix”. Laughably, Olympic sport is ‘sport by nations’ and hence this beast is absolutely, inherently and hypocritically political!

Stephen M. Walt of Walt and Mearsheimer. “The Israel Lobby” fame, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFW8QbWsYIE, {P.S. Anyone know where I can get the full video to: London Review of Books: The Israel Lobby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crbbNCvngOs? although there is a lengthy discussion of it here: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/john-mearsheimer/the-israel-lobby} has written a short, as usual honest, and interesting piece on nationalism in regards to the 2012 Olympics.

It’s a pity he didn’t examine in any detail the peculiar phenomenon he identified, namely the  “imagined community”. I’d have valued an analysis by Walt on this, e.g. a few questions as to whether “imagined community” – as far as nationalism goes – is deliberately ‘beamed’ upon is, why it’s done, who does it, etc. Lets not forget however that “imagined community” also has a ‘good side’ and the healthy part of it is something most of us draw upon.

Anyway, despite not really watching the zion Olympics, I’ll be happy if any country who the the USUSZ (the real axis of evil) hate or talk badly of. Hence on hearing of a win for China, I’ll crack a smile.

(morning)

And I will crack a frown when some sour-grapes US swimming coach, John Leonard, pours deliberate suspicion upon Ye Shiwen, the 16 year old Chinese double gold medallist, by albeit accusing her of taking ‘performance enhancing drugs’. This disgraceful mud will now probably stick to her for her entire life.

Ye Shiwen

And it so happens the games authorities have proved she wasn’t doped up. So Leonards defamation was wrong and a vile slander. If someone effectively accused John Leonard of doping up athletes, I can well imagine the little pool turd would feel his career effected and probably take to the courts to clear his name (and perhaps pocket a load of cash).

Funny, but I’ve not heard Leonard spitting out accusations in regards to the absolutely extraordinary and astounding success of Michael Phelps, holder of 19 Olympic medals (15 of them gold). No. Phelps of course isn’t a ‘drugs cheat’. He’s just a ‘phenomenal talent’, as only USans and other selected white people can be.

And no US athlete deliberately takes specific substances (e.g. food) to aid, maintain and boost their athleticism do they? [just that those food containing substances don’t appear on a rather selective ban list].

People probably remember that mega big-head (whatever you do, we is the US do it far bigger) Carl Lewis, who was so vocal about Ben Johnson, but Carl Lewis, himself was a drugs cheat, testing positive in THREE drugs tests just prior(!) to the “1988 Ben Johnson (Seoul) Olympics”  (something Panasonic, a 2012 Olympics sponsor using Lewis, seems to be unawares of) yet, at the time had the nerve to harp on and on about Johnson. Lewis, the possible embodiment of an ego, will love that I mentioned his name, irrespective of me pointing out he’s a drugs cheat.

I would not be surprised in the slightest, if, somewhere in the domestic US athletics fraternity, there various operations which grant various levels of ‘protectionism’ and ‘cloaking’ for the benefit of US athletes, but that’s the USA, so such thought could not possibly have merit.

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George Galloway in fine form

No man is an Island, hence NEVER give absolute loyalty to them, unless it’s the Mehdi or Isa. Oppose them when deserve opposing and support them when the deserve supporting. So I bring you George Galloway in fine form…

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