Despite congratulatory coverage by mainstream media and the spectacle of opening ceremonies, Olympic gold has lost some of its luster in light of doping scandals and cost overruns. David Goldblatt critiques the “modern Olympics” from Athens 1896 through Sochi 2014 with a nod toward Rio de Janeiro 2016.
He finds much to criticize at every turn, from the aristocratic amateurism of the early years through the public relations opportunities the Olympics have afforded repressive regimes and the enormous pork barrel the games roll out for building contractors and other exponents of free enterprise feeding at the public trough. Written with searing British sarcasm,
The Games is an entertaining and provocative essay on idealism curdled by self-interest. Goldblatt contemplates the $20 billion cost of the Olympics for Brazil, a nation where crime, poverty and corruption are endemic. The games, he concludes, will do little but enrich the elites and present a happy face for television.
