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Olympics – Competition At The Ultimate Level

Olympics is the penultimate event that every sportsman looks to perform, compete and win. It is the dream of every sportsperson to perform in the world arena and showcase the hard work which has been put in for the last few years.

Olympics is one such event in which athletes from every nook and corner of the world come to perform. There are certain country names which we see for the first time in our lives. This shows the depth of the Olympic spirit and the urge for everyone to participate and come out victorious.

Every athlete eagerly waits for this event as this happens only once in four years. Though during the early times, the games had to be cancelled a few times owing to war but during the last few decades, it has been a standard affair. And with such a mega event happening, there happens to be many a controversies like the racial discrimination during Jesse Owens race event and the famous throwing of the gold medal by Mohammad Ali.

This event took a major beating when terrorists tried to disturb the hosting of Olympics in Munich. But the final word is that despite all these hurdles, it was the spirit of the game which won. And even to this day the Olympics is being respected. With the passing of time many a games are being added depending on the recommendations and acceptability of the participating fellow nations. Hosting the games itself is considered to be a very prestigious thing.

Every nation which wished to host the Olympics had to bid and had to win by a majority in order to host the event.

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All Eyes On The Next Olympics

The Olympics are an international sports event, and are the topmost level for all sporting activity. This is a major global event, where preparations are started several years in advance. Governments of all participating countries take full responsibility for smooth conduct of the Olympics. These events are conducted in alternate years, and as summer or winter Olympics. A different country is selected as the host for every event. This ensures that all participating countries get an equal opportunity to act as the host country.

Preparation for the Olympics are provided topmost priority by the host country. Professionals in all fields are involved to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is created and ready before time for the start of the event. Project management and monitoring are directly controlled usually by a group of top functionaries in the host country. To ensure that only the world’s best state-of-the-art equipment and technology is involved in all areas of the event, it is customary to involve professionals and organizations who are among the top names at international levels. It is customary to see scores of people from various countries involved in creating various aspects of the infrastructure and arrangements for the event.

In addition, governments of all participating countries like to keep a check on a regular basis to keep track of the preparations, and this might include visits of specific teams at periodic intervals to directly assess the situation on the ground. People from all social  backgrounds keenly await the Olympics. Many people who are fans of specific events, or a particular sports-person, even travel from their country to the host country just to directly witness their favorites in action.

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Boxing and Head Injuries — The Brutal Reality of a Popular Sport

Straight on, medium shot of Olanda Anderson (R...
Image via Wikipedia

Some of the most endearing figures in sports and the culture at large have come from the world of boxing.  Who can forget Sylvester Stallone, in the crowd-pleasing, heart-tugging film classic, “Rocky.”  And for real heroics, plus world-class charm in the ring, no one comes close to boxing legend Muhammed Ali. Ali floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, even as he inspired us with his athletic power and original poems, all written in praise of his own beauty.  He mercilessly egged on his opponents, danced the rope and dope, dazzled and endured.  And most likely he stayed far too long in the ring.

Years after his days as the heavyweight boxing world champion, the world was stunned to see the great Ali lighting the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics, his hands shaking with the effects of Parkinson’s disease.  It was unforgettable moment, as the champ stepped forward, his once great power so obviously diminished by illness.  How much damage did a life in boxing cost the great champ?

Boxing is revered for its power, excitement, and yes, its brutality.
But the reality of serious injury has always made the sport controversial.
Generally amateur boxers sustain fewer, less serious injuries, as they spend less time in the ring.  The danger for professional boxers is high, however, and there have been many calls for safety reviews, and for banning the sport altogether.

Pro boxers experience repeated violent blows to the head, which can cause fractures to the bones of the head and face.  The resulting damage to brain tissue directly effects brain function.  Boxers also sustain injury to bones in the arms and chest, but head injury remains the most obvious and vulnerable area for the professional fighter.  Beyond the glamour and excitement of life in the ring is the sad reality of the “punch drunk” fighter, leveled by brain damage and other associated diseases like Parkinson’s.  Many in the sports world feel fighters are made to pay far too high a price for their moments of glory in the ring.

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