Voice from Turkey | Ahmet Faruk ISIK: The Olympics is about diversity and global unity; should not be politicized

The 2022 Winter Olympic Games, which kicked off on February 4th, is currently underway. Beijing has became the first city in the Olympic history to host both the Summer and the Winter Games. It forges an effective platform for enhancing mutual understanding among international community.

There are 5 rings on the Olympic flag, indicating the friendship and unity of five continents around the globe. In addition, the Olympic village in Beijing is also a symbol that our world is a family - it offers a great opportunity to bring together athletes from different countries and cultures. We should keep in mind the Olympic spirit: faster, higher, stronger, and together. The politicization of sports would only damage the eternal Olympic flame.

Sport is an essential part of social development and human progress. As the largest multisport event in the world, the Olympics is about diversity and global unity. It should not be used as a political tool. The International Olympic Committee is a non-governmental organization that highlights the importance of political neutrality. Social background, gender, race, religion, or political beliefs shouldn't shape rules of the Olympic Games and "diplomatic boycotts" will not have any influence on the score of a national team.

No matter what happens in the political world, we should ensure the neutral role of the Olympic Games. Because the 2022 Winter Olympic Games is a bridge among nations globally. It represents unity, friendship, peace and harmony - all are enshrined in this year's theme: "Together for a Shared Future”.

Turkey firmly supports the Olympics Games, against any forms of boycott calls. Ali Oto, the President of the Turkish Ski Federation, said that “I believe that the Beijing 2022 Olympics will go very well. We are very proud to be in Beijing. Beijing has experience in organizing great such kind of event in the past - the Summer Olympics in 2008. Beijing deserves it. Chinese are hardworking people.”

Turkeys will participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics for the 18th time with 7 athletes including: Özlem Çarıkcıoğlu and Berkin Usta (Alpine skiing), Fatih Arda İpçioğlu (Ski jumping), Özlem Ceren Dursun, Ayşenur Duman and Yusuf Emre Fırat (Ski running), Furkan Akar (Short track speed skating).

Turkish athlete Fatih Arda İpçioğlu (Ski jumping), said that he didn't get the qualification in 2018 PyeongChang, but he will complete the unfinished story by making it to the final in China. When he was asked to describe Beijing Winter Olympic Games with 3 words, he said “health, success and cold”.

Speed skating athlete Furkan Akar said that “Turkey came second in the opening ceremony. I felt very excited. The atmosphere was really amazing.”

Ski runner athlete Yusuf Emre Fırat mentioned that: “I had participated in Olympics Games in 2018. But this time Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games was really a different atmosphere, a very different place. I can say that I experienced this kind of emotion for the first time.”

As for myself, I wish the 2022 Winter Olympics a complete success. I hope both Turkish and Chinese athletes achieve good results and enjoy themselves in Beijing.

The author, Ahmet Faruk ISIK, is a Ph.D. student in comparative politics and area studies at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) and a research assistant at the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies (SAGGAS), SISU.

法陆克（土耳其），上海外国语大学国际关系与公共事务学院博士研究生，上海全球治理与区域国别研究院研究助理。

【相关阅读】

原标题：《冬奥时评（六）：The Olympics is about diversity and global unity》

阅读原文