Held every four years, the Summer Olympic Games brings together some of the best athletes in the world together to compete. But recently a major question has been posed; should the Olympic rules change to only allow amateurs to compete? Before a decision can be made I think it’s only fair to hear both sides of the argument.
To become a professional athlete is one of the hardest things to do. It requires years of practice, passion, and talent, and even with those factors being in a person’s favor, there is still a near impossible of chance of breaking the barrier between amateur and pro. Thus, when the Summer Olympics take place, every four years, it provides a chance, though ever so small, for these athletes to showcase their talents. A good example of this would be Rio 2016. The 2016 Olympics have been considered by many to be a massive failure, with many issues ranging from minute to huge. The lack of proper rooms available for athletes, to the Zika virus scare, have made this an event that many are nervously waiting to end. But for younger, lesser-known athletes, such as Gunnar Bentz and Townley Haas. The two American swimmers, 20 and 19 respectively, found themselves in the Olympics this year, a feat relatively unheard of for young athletes. And the same goes for other nations and other sports. Due to the fact that many professionals dropped out early, younger athletes were given the chance to participate and definitely shined.
On the other hand, imagine you’re from a Caribbean nation, you’re a fast kid who loves to run, and you find yourself, after years of training and practice as a professional sprinter with the last name Bolt. After years of training, you’re a pro with an endorsement deal and you want to honor your country in the Olympics. But all of a sudden you’re told you can’t. That the country that has given you so much throughout your life won’t be able to watch you honor them. They won’t be able to see success from the guy who was born and raised in their country. And that’s a shame, because it’s a way for the athlete to almost pay it back. Now fortunately for the athlete named Bolt, this isn’t an issue currently. But the key word is currently. Many people are making a push towards getting professional athletes removed from the Olympics. They believe that it ruins the competitiveness, and the true spirit of the Olympics.
The Olympics were originally created as a means for amateur athletes to showcase their skills for their country. But recently with professional athletics becoming harder and harder to enter, the Olympics are needing to be restricted to amateur athletes only. Having professional athletes in the game pretty much removes the competitive spirit of playing not for a paycheck, but playing for the love of the game. Because after all, that’s what the Olympics truly are: a showcase of the love of the game.
