ALAN SIMPSON offers a few pointers on dealing with the ongoing, Trump-led destruction of the norms of a rules-based international order established post-WWII
AS athletes and spectators prepare for the “festival of sport” in the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics it’s worth reflecting on the way capitalism exploits these international games which were first conceived as an embodiment of fair play.
The history of the games is littered with corruption and bribery by host countries, sex verification scandals, doping by athletes vying for post-Olympic commercial sponsorship deals and the influence of advertisers cashing in on a global television audience.
Craving prestige, governments back bids to host the Olympics spending unsustainable sums of money in the process, building contracts are awarded on the basis of bribery, venues are often left unused afterwards and vast debts left to be paid, in many cases by the poorest host country citizens.
The Khelif gender row shows no sign of being resolved to the satisfaction of anyone involved anytime soon, says boxing writer JOHN WIGHT



