FIGHT FOR COMMUNISM!
International Communist Workers Party
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FIGHT FOR COMMUNISM! |
International Communist Workers Party | |
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August 22—“In this Olympic world, there is a universal law for all. In this Olympic world, we are all equal,” exclaimed Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, while the children in the favelas (poor neighborhoods) observed from far away the inauguration of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
In these last two weeks Rio de Janeiro has hosted the Summer Olympics. The values of “unity, brotherhood and equality” that these types of events try to promote are completely the opposite of what they really represent. These competitions serve to promote nationalism, xenophobia, and racism. The Olympic Games throughout modern history have served the imperialist countries competing among each other in a show of world power. Rio 2016 is no exception.
The doping investigation by the World Anti-Doping Agency was one of the strongest blows to Russian sports. This happened in a context in which the US bosses are trying to take power in institutions like FIFA and the IOC. This became tense when the Russian athletes participated. Friction developed against Russian athletes by US athletes.
US and Russian workers should not let themselves be fooled by these traps. These competitions serve to channel our anger against our class brothers and sisters and to defend countries which do not belong to us, but to the capitalists. The rival imperialist bosses need to win us to patriotism to prepare for coming world war three.
In communism, sports will not be used as an excuse to sharpen the rivalry between imperialist powers. There will be no imperialists. After having eliminated borders and nations, we will be able to participate in all kinds of sports anywhere in the world, with all people around the world participating. Sports will be for the recreation and health of all of humanity.
The organization of Rio 2016 has revealed the conditions of the working class in Brazil and the capitalists’ cynicism in trying to hide this reality. The road from the airport of Rio to the south of the city (the tourist area) has been “decorated” with barriers along the whole way. These barriers were built with the excuse of “preventing the cars’ noise” for the favela residents in the north of the city. But all these residents know perfectly that it is to hide them.
Another sign of cynicism is the restructuring of public transport. During the Olympics it was very difficult for the residents of the favelas to reach the south of the city. The bus routes were re-assigned to prevent the favela residents in the north from going to the tourist areas and “damaging the image” of the city. But this doesn’t only happen in the north of the city, where today the Olympic village is located, and where before there were entire communities. Some people continue resisting the evictions that have been taking place since the preparation for the 2014 World Cup.
“What will sports be like in communism?” asked a young athlete. When we have eliminated money, sports will never again be for the profits of a few. Without nations or borders, there will not be rivalries that divide us. We will all have the opportunity to play whatever sports that we want.
To advance to the world in which sports will be an activity of camaraderie, solidarity and health, we must fight for Communism. Defeating capitalist cynicism is only possible by mobilizing for a communist revolution. The workers around the world must fight against racism; the workers in Brazil must fight against evictions and against the inhuman living conditions which have been hidden to organize these events. The way to fight against these problems is by destroying the material base that generates them, which means destroying capitalism and organizing a communist society where all workers’ needs will be met.
We invite our readers and members of the Party to discuss and write more about how sports will be in communism.
Caption: Protest in Rio: “Olympics for Whom?”