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Tales of the world
The Olympic Games both reflect and shape our perceptions
of the world.
The open participation that marks the Games reflects
the values of tolerance and co-existence of cultures. The message
of peace conveyed by the Games accompanies the successes and the
failures of the movement towards international harmony: its flame
is carried across the world.
The professional athletics of today reflects the competitive
aspects of our societies. The organization of the Games calls for
huge capital and is merged with powerful economic interests.
Technological perfection and the expansion of TV as
a medium have transformed the Games into the greatest "global
celebration" of our era. But, behind the glorious facade and
the moral message of the Games lie the challenges of the continuous
striving for the best performance, hard training and the use of
anabolic steroids.
Every four years the world community tries to marry
the struggle for records and medals,political upheavals and boycotts
with the dream for global peace and competition.
The contradictions of the Games are the contradictions
of our societies...
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