2024-07-23 04:15:00
During his visit to the athletes’ village on Monday, Emmanuel Macron recalled the importance of the “Olympic and political intervention” during the Games. This peace seems to be more symbolic than lasting.
This Monday, four days before the start of the Olympic Games, Emmanuel Macron visited the athletes’ village in Saint-Denis. Asked by the press on the political situation in France waiting for a new Prime Minister to replace the government that resigned, the President of the Republic refused from any response, indicating “Olympics and political revolution” of this “Sports Meeting”.
If the expression of “Political Change” It seems like a return on the part of the President this Monday, the head of state has already mentioned, in an interview with RMC in mid-April, his desire to “Do everything to have Olympic silence” life during the Paris Olympic Games. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky then responded to him, during an interview with AFP less than a month later, that he did not believe in a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia during the international event. “Who guarantees that Russia will not use this opportunity to bring its troops to our region?” he asked.
This resolution, however, is not a new idea and is even an international standard made by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1993. Thirty years later, this “Building Olympics” Is it just a book pigeon?
Read again“No election campaign, no Olympic strike”: unions raise the specter of a strike during the Olympics
The resolution of history
We can pick it up “Building Olympics” in ancient times. During the Peloponnesian War, Sparta was actually guilty of a huge fine of 2000 mines for attacking a fortress and sending hoplites to Lepreon, in Elis, during the Games of Olympia. As the Spartans did not want to pay the fine, they were excluded from the competition by the Eleans. However, putting this example aside, it should be noted that, for the Greeks, it is above all a question to ensure the safety of the players and spectators who go to Olympia. It was therefore less a search for lasting peace for all Greek cities than a periodic demand for public order.
In modern military vocabulary, disengagement is the cessation of hostilities and all hostilities for a period determined by the strength of an agreement (tacit or not) between the two warring parties. The clashes during the First World War between the French and German armies at Christmas time are an example of this. However, here again, if some military action takes place during this time, “Olympic Confusion” The World Cup was a failure, as the 1916 Olympics were canceled due to the war. In contrast, in 1936, the Olympic Games were held in Berlin even though Hitler had been in power for three years.
Read againParis Olympics 2024: “No lull in international protests for Games”
A symbol of peace undermined
In 2024, however, the idea of ”Olympic meaning” continues. He was also instrumental in the celebration of mass, Friday July 19, in the Parisian church of La Madeleine. There were 800 people including the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, and the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera. Outside, doves fly in the church sky as a symbol of peace.
This Sunday, after the traditional Angelus prayer, Pope Francis also called for protest during the Paris Olympic Games, being particularly “decision in wars” and remember that “Sport has a great social impact, it is capable of uniting people from different cultures in a peaceful way.” “I hope that this event can be a sign of the inclusive world that we want to build and that athletes, with their sports evidence, can be messengers of peace,” he added.
Non-binding truce
However, despite these strong images in favor of a «Olympic Truce », the danger does not seem to be over. Always approved by consensus, the resolution was not voted unanimously (120 countries) this year. Russia and Syria refused. For the duration of the period from seven days before the opening of the Olympic Games to seven days after their end, you must remember above all that this struggle, whether signed or not, is not a contract (unlike what is under ancient Greece). In 2008, during the Olympic Games in Beijing, neither the UN nor the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was able to prevent the attack of Georgian troops in Ossetia, on August 7, against Russia.
Likewise, Russia invaded Crimea on February 27, 2014, just four days after the Sochi Olympics ended.
#Olympic #truce #mentioned #Emmanuel #Macron