Anyone else think the Olympics are not as great as they used to be? I feel like the enjoyment I had with the Olympics faded away ever since they got political...
You must be old. The Olympics has been political forever. A shame you can't switch off and just enjoy the amazing feats of athleticism on display. Berlin 1936: The Nazi Olympics London 1948: Germany and Japan Banned Melbourne 1956: Two Protests Mexico City 1968: Brutal Shooting and Civil Rights Protest Munich 1972: Munich Massacre Montreal 1976: African Countries Boycott Olympics Rio de Janeiro 2016: Refugee Olympic Team ref: https://www.britannica.com/list/7-significant-political-events-at-the-olympic-games
There were nations banned in this Olympics, as well. E.g., Russian athletes had to compete under a different entity name, I believe. Then, of course, there were the political issues of the transgender female boxer and the anti-Catholic opening ceremonies. But, as @sarahk pointed out, this is nothing new. Political activists always ramp up their antics at major public events, which the Olympics are. What they don't realize is that they are mostly hurting their cause when they do so because they simply anger most of the audience who is interested in sports, not politics. I did want to mention that I thoroughly enjoyed the handball games. When I first saw the listing on the television, I was not interested. I thought that it would be two people slamming a ball against a wall. However, it is a team sport that seems to blend basketball, hockey, and Lacrosse into a single, indoor game. I enjoyed both the men's and the women's games when I could catch them. The Turk "hitman" in the pistol shooting events was a big topic in my office, too.
I didn't watch a single thing. Reading the comments on X and here, glad I didn't. Don't forget the full boycott of the games in 1980.
A lot of people feel the same way, especially when it comes to the increasing amount of politics in sports, including the Olympics. For many, the event was always about watching athletes from around the world compete at their best, without the added weight of political controversies or debates.