The answer to that question is sure, why not? Any country able to invest the resources and organize such a spectacle, and willing to host delegations from around the world including from countries they do not recognize should have their shot. But religion should not be the determining factor. Don’t tell that to Turkey, though. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sees the world through a religious prism. The genocide in Darfur? Impossible. After all, he argued when welcoming Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir. “A Muslim can never commit genocide.”
Now Erdoğan has rooted Turkey’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics in religion. “No country with a majority of Muslim population has ever hosted the Olympics,” he said while visiting London last week. “Istanbul has bid to host the Olympics five times but has never been handed the rights. This is not a fair approach.” The Istanbul 2020 logo features not the bridge between civilizations, but rather minarets and mosques. No previous Olympic emblem has featured religious symbols.
If Erdoğan advocates viewing the world through a religious prism, then perhaps he can also embrace the Tel Aviv Olympics in 2024 and Bombay Olympics in 2028. If it is time for a majority Muslim state to host the Olympics, it would make sense if the first would be a country like Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country and one noted for its relative moderation compared to the rest of the Islamic world. Qatar certainly has the resources, both to bribe the International Olympic Committee and to stage the games, and certainly Arab states would like the honor. Morocco is as much a bridge between civilizations as Turkey but, in recent years, has been far more tolerant. As regions go, neither Africa nor the Caribbean has ever hosted the Olympics.
Turkey should one day host the games. Istanbul is a beautiful city. But Turkey should only have that honor when it lives at peace with its neighbors, withdraws from Cyprus, and shows it can manage basic infrastructure like its highways and bridges. It needs to release its journalists from prison, and reach a settlement with its Kurdish population. Let’s hope the International Olympics Committee will choose a country on that country’s merits; they should not implicitly endorse Erdoğan’s desire to see the world through a religious lens.
I'm not a big Turkey fan, but are they any worse than the 2014 host, Russia?
Sure, why not, indeed. Of course, the host nation will have to be subjected to all the appropriate tests of political correctness: freedom of conscience, freedom of worship, treatment of women, etc. The Muslim nations have nothing to worry about in that regard, right? n nBTW, Indonesia USED to be a moderate example of Islam, because it was run for decades by military strongmen that kept Islam down. That is no longer the case, and radical Islam is showing its face there with increasing ferocity.
Saying that "No previous Olympic emblem has featured religious symbols" is not true at all. n nAlbertville 1992 had a cross on the emblem. nSarajevo 1982 also had a cross on the emblem. nRome 1960 had the Capitoline Wolf on the emblem. nAthens 1896 had Zeus on the medals. nLondon 1908 had Saint George on the medals. nParis 1900 had goddess Nike on the medals. nEvery single Olympics since 1928 has goddess Nike on the medals. nMunich 1972 also has Castor & Pollux on the medals.
I don't know, would Turkey or another Muslim nation have gymnasts competing in burkhas? Would they let the swimmers swim in their usual attire (men & women)? Would the athletes and spectators from non-Muslim nations be forced to wear headscarves, etc.? Would Israel be allowed to send athletes? Would those athletes as well as American athletes and European ones be safe in a Muslim country? I know the athletes have a real reputation as hound dogs, but I'm sure many are religious folks. Would Christian, Jewish, Hindu, etc. athletes have religious facilities available to them? n nI'm not being snarky, from the way Turkey and other Muslim countries are acting lately I'd like these questions asked and answered before I decide what I think about this.
No one wears burkhas in Turkey firstly. Turkey is verry modern country, it is only secular country in the world with %99 muslim people of the population. Turkey hosted recently WTA Championchips of women,and no one wear burkhas of course! Yours perspective is very ignorant and uninformed. You should learn before you talk. Turkey not like other muslim countries. Yes swimmers can swim in their usual attire because people can swim even in istanbul shores with swimsuit. u0130stanbul is 5. touristic destination in the world with 11 million trourist each year. So yes,every european will be safe. n Please learn something,where do you live? Read the newspapers,economic news,travel guides and learn before you judge.
I don't see them distributing 150,000 condoms. But watching the NYT defend their exclusion of Jewish athletes will be precious.
On this logic China and Russia should never have been given the nod.