The International Olympic Committee: Promoters of Peace or a Committee of Ignorance

Throughout the history of the modern Olympics, numerous countries have boycotted the games due to political and social outcries. However, in very few cases has the International Olympic Committee reversed the favor and refused to invite specific countries to the Olympics to compete. These countries have included Japan, Germany, and even South Africa. Recent events of the past four decades have caused a loud uproar among countries and even organizations to exclude the country of Iran from the 2012 Olympic Games in London. It is found to be an evident case that Iran is an example of a country that completely contradicts the Olympics’ purpose in a variety of ways and therefore should not be allowed to contend. In the past century, three countries have been denied the right to compete in the Olympics for different reasons that the IOC believed as unforgiveable. According to Larry Zuckerman (2004), in 1920 and 1924 Germany was banned from the Olympics after WWI due to inhumane acts during the war such as the mass killings, lootings, and burnings of towns known as the Rape of Belgium. They were also ostracized due to their direct influence of bringing Europe into the war. In 1948, both Germany and Japan were not invited to the London games. According to George Duncan (n.d.), the two countries attributed to the massacre of civilians such as the genocide of the Jews by the Nazi’s, and the mass killings, and slave labor of civilians by both countries. Lastly, in an article by Brian Mackenzie (2004), it is found that South Africa was excluded from participation at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. South Africa was governed by an oppressive apartheid regime, which is a system of racial segregation, and therefore was banned until 1992. It is seen as an honor and privilege to be a part of the