What Are the Olympics For?, Jules Boykoff
What Are the Olympics For?, Jules Boykoff
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What Are the Olympics For?

Author: Jules Boykoff

Narrator: John Chancer

Unabridged: 3 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/28/2024


Synopsis

‘Athletes first’ is a slogan the International Olympic Committee often touts, but the reality is very different, as pre-eminent Olympics expert Jules Boykoff shows in this book. While the world’s attention is riveted by the triumphs and tribulations on their screens, there is much that goes on behind the scenes that is deeply troubling: athletes are increasingly voicing concerns over physical, mental, and sexual abuse, and they are collectively expressing grievances around equity and human rights. Outside the stadiums, problems range from the democratic deficit and corruption surrounding the awarding of the Games, to displacement of people and gentrification of neighbourhoods to make way for Olympic venues, to the environmental damage that Olympic construction inflicts and then tries to greenwash away. Boykoff tells us that radical steps are required if the Games are to be fixed and only then will they be truly ‘athletes first’.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nate on August 03, 2024

Pretty easy read. There are some novel ideas and interesting viewpoints but the author had little quality control and just compiled any anti-Olympic story or quote with little analysis or connection. There were a lot of reaches as well, such as the mention that the London Olympics displaced 1,000 pe......more

Goodreads review by Corinne on May 18, 2024

3.5 A good overview of many issues and controversies surrounding the Olympics. Boykoff covers a lot of ground in just 123 pages, so it’s a fairly surface level introduction to each issue, and I’d view this book as a good jumping off point to further reading on the topic. Reads like an essay, culmina......more

Goodreads review by idana on May 20, 2024

Read this on my walk home and couldn’t put it down? Very surprised there are not many reviews? Writing style is a little corny but that’s my only qualm. Very obviously well researched and very succinct. Loved how tied together everything was. Great short read!......more