Olympism and Human Rights: from 1894 until today
Keywords:
Olympism, Olympic Games, major sporting events, human rights, soft power, legacyAbstract
The purpose of this article is to investigate how the human rights discourses have changed over time, with a focus on the Olympics. This paper aims to examine first the origins of the philosophy of Olympism as inspired by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics. We will then examine the Olympic philosophy's "universality" from a western perspective and its impact on human rights protection and promotion. Additionally, it will discuss any practical challenges or limitations that may arise. After that, the main emphasis will be on dissecting the components of soft power and sportswashing within the multidiscourse framework of sport, where position, politics, privilege, and power are (re)produced. Lastly, it will investigate how anti-corruption measures might affect the creation of a long-lasting legacy related to human rights.
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