Nationalism and Sport are often intertwined, as sports provide a venue for symbolic competition between nations. We see this in some of the biggest sporting events in the world including the Olympics, the World Cup, and even the World Baseball Classic. Bud Greenspan uses a quote from Barrie Houlihan that helps explain nationalism in the Olympics in his study called Olympic Orchestration: "nationalism is deeply embedded in the fabric of Olympic movement. . . it is the defining narrative of the Games themselves: the opening parade of athletes in national groups. . . wearing the colors on their kit. . . and the playing of the national anthems and the raising of national flags at medal ceremonies." (Olympic Orchestration, 20-21)
It is amazing to see all the die-hard fans that represent the different countries in these huge sporting events. When the different teams and fans all sing their national anthems together and hold up their country's flags, you can't put those moments into words (unless of course there is a country singing their national anthem and you have no idea what they are saying). Every American felt a great sense of excitement when Michael Phelps dominated his different swimming events breaking record after record. Everyone from Jamaica felt as a big group of one when Usain Bolt destroyed his competitors in his running events. It is amazing to see one athlete be able to bring a nation closer together after winning a bunch of their events. In 2016, Rio de Janeiro will host the Olympic Games and trust me, you will see the Brazilians more amped up then anything to support their country. It brought tears to the Brazilian president during his press conference after finding out that they won the bid to host the Olympics. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/02/olympics.2016/
However, nationalism is something that has been questioned quite a bit too. As far as a fan aspect is concerned, there is nothing better to watch then millions of fans all who are strangers that act as best friends in the stands as they root on their countries. On the other hand it can turn bad very quickly. For example, it was a soccer match which started the war between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969 which killed 6,000 people and left 24,000 wounded (Handbook, 351). There have been some other extreme cases where fans of two nations have battled during and after games that have resulted in deaths and serious injuries. Being a part of a nation and rooting on you country is a great thing, but where do you draw the line? Why do you think some people get this intense over their nation?
When looking at nationalism from a player's standpoint, we have to ask ourselves where to draw a line there. How is a player going to react when he is playing for the country he was born in against the country he currently plays in now? In this article, a German footballer of Iranian birth had asked to be excused from a match against Israel. He states, "I have more Iranian than German blood in my veins. Besides I'm doing this out of respect. After all my parents are Iranian."(http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/oct/13/whennationalismandsportcol) Should players be allowed to do this and how do you think fans would think of a player if he asked to sit out a big match because of these views?
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Growing up as a child i remember watching the olympics and being blown away by all the support each country received. I wasn't very informed on what the olympics were about but my dad tried his best. My knowledge stemmed from the "Dream Team" in 1988 and 1992 (as i was an avid basketball fan). The ceremonies left a lasting impression on me. I was so excited every time an athlete received a gold medal. However, i didn't really understand the magnitude of the olympics.
ReplyDeleteIn 2008 the Olympics games had, "ballooned into a multi-billion dollar, sixteen-day media spectacle watched by millions of television viewers across the world at millennium’s turn. At the 2008 Olympics, more than 20,000 media representatives, who collectively invested approximately $2.5 billion dollars for exclusive broadcasting rights, overtook Beijing to share the most compelling Olympic vignettes with the world" (Payne 2006).
In America i believe that most of us take are sports for granted. For other countries the Olympics is the worlds biggest spotlight to show what they are capable of. The world biggest story arguably of the 2008 olympics was Michael Phelps. However, Usain Bolt did the unthinkable by shattering the worlds fastest man record. He was Jamaica's first gold medalist.
Jamaica was so excited they the Prime Minister managed to announce a massive celebration for their beloved winner. The Prime Minister said, "The games are not yet over and we expect a lot more from the team in the days ahead but I can assure you that we are planning a massive welcome home party for all of you" (http://www.itzcaribbean.com/ffbj_usainbolt.php).
This goes to show that most forms of nationalism are positive if a countries athletes are performing well. However, in sports winning is not always an option. Loosing can ruin a countries hopes and can sometimes lead to violence.
Hooliganism is, "rowdy, violent,or destructive behavior" (Merriam Webster). Hooliganism is very common throughout many european countries, and manages to be a major problem at sporting events. This is where nationalism goes a little to far. To be supportive of your team is one thing, but to go to extreme lengths to stick up for your team by beating people up is going to far.
We must also analyze that many of this violence that occurs stems from poor life conditions, dissatisfaction in their lives, and a sense of no belonging. Where can we draw the life and how can negative nationalism be prevented?
Overall, Nationalism gives on a major sense of belonging and pride towards one's country. However, some become so obsessed that i can ultimately turn violent. Celebrating a team or athletes success is normal, but we must learn to not take defeat so seriously. Its important to remember where you come from, but if you are facing a team in which you grew up you must play the game. I disagree with the Iranian athlete, because he is paid to play the sport. Nationalism is a sensative subject, and to be honest i dont know where to draw the line.
Nationalism in sports is another example of fandom. People love rooting for the team they love to win, and whether it be a minor league baseball team or a World Cup soccer team, people are going to live and die by these competitions. Although it is true that typical fights between fans of teams has never led to a war, deaths have followed many fights that have broken out after rivalry games and other games of importance (http://tyduffy.com/2009/04/23/the-red-sox-yankees-rivalry-turns-violent-and-even-deadly/). However, nationalism has a greater effect in sports because fans are now rooting for two separate entities, the country and the team. According to Lincoln Allison in the handbook, “There are, of course, other forms of identification, but none is so intense and demanding as a national identification, particularly in those many nations which are perceived by their members as being ancient and with a history of oppression…” (345). Everybody can identify with the country that they are from, so when it comes to the Olympics or the World Cup, it is easy to pick what team your rooting for because your really rooting for more than a team. Nationalism takes fandom to the next level.
ReplyDeleteNationalism doesn’t only make fandom more intense, but it also makes the actual games more intense. Players are not only competing to be the best team, but they are also representing their countries. Although some athletes choose to play for countries that they either don’t live in or are not part of their family’s heritage, the majority of athletes competing in international sporting events are there to represent the country that they feel they are most connected to. According to the Roessner article, “Latent nationalism can be seen in opening montages of the host country and camera close-ups of medal ceremonies, but at times, nationalism is on display more visibly” (20). The whole appeal of international competition is to see how certain countries stack up against others, so there is no doubt that nationalism is present during these events. If nationalism did not exist in sports, then what would the point of the World Cup and the Olympics be? Nationalism hurts sport no more than the typical form of fandom, and in both cases, they make sports more interesting and more fun to watch.
The Oylmpics are really an amazing event for the world. Like it was said in the lead blog, it is amazing to see the amount of people showing passion for their home country. I know I speak for myself and probably other people when saying I watch sports during the Olympics that I would never watch at any other time just because of my personal interest. I watch the swimming, the track and field events, and the other events that the USA is participating in just because it is exciting and I want to show support for my country. In the article Olympic Orchestration, the author states, "Albeit subtle, a thread of nationalism runs through Greenspan’s work, mirroring the nationalistic impulse that runs through the Olympic Games themselves. Latent nationalism can be seen in opening montages of the host country and camera close-ups of medal ceremonies, but at times, nationalism is on display more visibly" (Roessner 21). The Olympics seem to be a sporting event not just for the sports fan, but for anyone. Anyone can tune into the Olympics and feel like they are showing their support.
ReplyDeleteThis article also mentions, "For instance, in America’s Greatest Olympians (1996), he includes an interview segment with pole vaulter Bob Richards. In an interview close-up, nationalism rises to the surface when Richards describes winning the gold medal in 1952, “This is what the Olympics does…then, the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ is playing, and this is your dream come true…It’s the greatest moment of your life in many ways" (Roessner 21). This sentence sums up the feeling that the Olympics give not only to the players, but also to the fans. To win the gold and here the National Anthem playing, that is amazing. From the players point of view, I cannot imagine a better feeling than representing your home country and winning the gold. It shows the hard work you put together for your country. As a fan, it is also great to see the likes of Michael Phelps or the Men's Basketball team take the goal. Like I said before, even if you are not a fan, it just is always nice to see your country win.
The Olympics are obviously one of, if not the biggest sporting event in the world. It’s an honor for those athletes to represent their countries. Walking into an arena full of people, and knowing that millions of people are watching has to be gratifying. Doing this with your fellow countrymen, and holding the flag of your country has to be one of the most satisfying feelings.
ReplyDeleteIn the Olympic Orchestration reading, Bud Greenspan had a quote from pole-vaulter Bob Richards that summed this feeling up: “This is what the Olympics does…then, the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ is playing, and this is your dream come true…It’s the greatest moment of your life in many ways.” (Greenspan, 21)
Some athletes work and wait a lifetime for this moment, and will give anything up to be able to compete for their country in the Olympics. You’re not just competing for yourself, or a city, you are competing for your nation. When you race, an entire nation will be cheering for you. Whether they usually cheer for your hometown team or not, they will cheer for you if you represent your country.
Nationalism is shown very much so by every country during the Olympics. Every country, whether it’s a small island like Jamaica, or a big country like America, is cheering for their teams to win. But there is another sporting event in which America doesn’t have a deep sense of nationalism, and that’s the World Cup. Now obviously everyone is cheering for team USA to win, don’t get me wrong, but trust me, it’s nothing like the European teams.
Lincoln Allison sums it up perfectly in his article entitled Sport and Nationalism: “The United States is in no sense an ethnic nation and international team games are only a tiny part of its sporting scene. They do sing their national anthem at sporting events, but not in the same sort of way that the Welsh rugby crow sings ‘Mae hen wlad fy nhadau’.” (Allison, 344)
I’m from Europe so I know first-hand that during the World Cup people go insane. There is such a sense of Nationalism it’s very hard to explain. Obviously club soccer is huge in Europe. During the World Cup, you forget who plays on which team. At that moment, every player is playing for your country. You can hate a player while he plays on a club team that you dislike, but while he’s playing for your country, he might be your favorite player.
Obviously America’s biggest sports are football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Now, there isn’t really any international event for football. And, I think in the World baseball classics, the FIBA World Cup, and in the Olympic Hockey events, you can see that other nations have a much bigger sense of nationalism than Americans do. I think that, because of the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL where everyone is crowned as a “World Champion”, nationalism plays a big role in America. (besides of course the Olympics)
I think that nationalism is a great thing for sports. It brings players together. It brings them together to perform for their country. It also brings fans together, and makes them all cheer for one team. During the Olympics and during the World Cup, everybody is behind their nation, and I think that’s when sports are at its greatest.
- Robin
Being a soccer player for almost my entire life, the world cup has always had a spot on my television. The way national teams play is like no other thing in the world. That is not limited to FIFA World Cup, but also includes Olympics, World Baseball Classic, and FIBA. Even in the Little League World Series in the games between nations you can see the nationalism. It just shows that amateur athletes still play die hard for their country. Not many people ever want to say that they gave up during an international sporting event.
ReplyDeleteThe World Cup, being the most watched sporting event in the world even shows the compassion of the countries. People are interested in the things that their country is involved in. Like watching Michael Phelps win gold medal after gold medal became a part of history that will always be seen as a tremendous accomplishment.
In the article, “Olympic Orchestration: Bud Greenspan’s Re-presentation of Sport,” Roessner says, “Although millions of viewers tune in to network coverage, through the years, the vision of one man has contributed to a distinct perspective of the Games, influencing viewers’ conceptions of the Olympic ideal.”
I feel that hold major international competitions every certain number of years is good for the business because it hypes up the competition for years. As soon as the Beijing Olympics were over most people were saying what they thought Michael Phelps was going to do in the next Olympics.
International competitions are like nothing else on the planet. Maybe we do have mixed nationalities in our sports here, but the difference is because the countries are fighting for pride. All sports fight for pride, but not many sports our fighting for their countries pride, and I am sure that most athletes that get to compete in these competitions feel quite honored.
I've always seen international sporting competitions as another form of international warfare. During the Cold War, our arms race spread out to even out olympic teams. Yes, we're supposed to see the olympics as a symbol of peaceful cooperation, but the honest truth is that we are still competing. We are still trying to show out superiority.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are universal heros in the olympics that can transcend international tensions, such as michael phelps. The Fact that he was American did not matter. His monumental athletic achievement made the olympics focus on him. Olympic Orchestration: Bud Greenspan’s Re-presentation of Sport,” Roessner says, “Although millions of viewers tune in to network coverage, through the years, the vision of one man has contributed to a distinct perspective of the Games, influencing viewers’ conceptions of the Olympic ideal.”
This happens very rarely. However, every human being will be fascinated and excited by the extraordinary, no matter who is doing it.
AT first glance, you think "How can it be bad to have pride for my home team?" But then you think about it, and it is easy, if this pride gets out of hand, rooting for your team as opposed to a competing country could get very violent and very ugly.
ReplyDeleteIn the Handbook of Sports Studies, the authors write, "It is clear that national dimension is an important part of sport. This dimension starts with the immense added meaning that a sense of shared national identity gives to watching a team." I agree that having pride for your team is a very important thing and having a team to believe in and root for is wonderful. It is only when this gets out of hand that it becomes bad.
In Roessner's article he says people are "failing to consider their “power to exacerbate divisions among nations through competition, aggression, and the projection of an ‘enemy’ to be defeated” (Schaffer & Smith, 2000, p. 7)." He is mentioning that rooting for opposing countries creates deathly enemies, in his example in the Olympics. It is true that on the outside everything looks nice and cheering for their home country, but if you dig deeper you see the hatred for other countries and it becomes scary.
I believe that it is a hard topic because I think it's very important to have pride for your country's team, the same way that years from now I will root for Quinnipiac because i was an alumna. However, with the example Pete gave of the soccer riot frightens me a a bit. It is scary to believe that you let pride bring you that far as to kill. Yes, believe in your team, but leave it at that.
The olympic games have always been and will always be a competition between nations. That being said, it is no wonder why 1) it is such a great opportunity and privelage to be able to represent your country in the games, and 2) why nationalism and the overall fandom of the game will be intense. It is not only the participants in the games by the athletes, but also a contributed effort by the fans to go out and show support for their country.
ReplyDeleteI think people here see instances where people at soccer games are getting severely hurt, and somtimes killed and can't believe how that happens. I think this is a result of culture. As Robin has stated, people in Europe go absolutely insane for the game they love, and over here it is a different story. Yes, tons of people go out and support our national soccer team during the Olympic games, but for other countries that love and nationalism takes place year roun, starting with the club teams.
In the article, "Olympic Orchestration," it states "Although De Coubertain and other proponents of the International Games espoused loftly ideals of mutual respect and sportsmanship, desires for nationalism, military prowess, and displays of masculinity undergirded the early Olympic movement" (Greenspan, 3). This goes to show that it is not just a competition of sport to the people, it goes beyond that.
Because of this love for the country and the over all competitiveness and passion of the followers, there is always going to be hard feelings after a loss, especially to a rivalved nation.
Ofcourse, this does not justify the violence proponent in any way and make it okay or normal, but I think it is the nature of the games and the passion and pride within the fans.
A line should be drawn within the fans, but with the history of these sports and the history of the nations competing against eachother, it makes for a tough line to draw.