The Olympics: Triumph and Distraction

The Olympics have come to an end after two triumphant weeks. Paris 2024 is being hailed as one of the best Olympics ever, in terms of production, ratings, and the overall quality of competition. It was certainly a showcase of excellence for the United States, which finished atop the leaderboard in overall medals and tied with China for first in golds.

But the Olympics have also presented a profound dilemma, particularly the way major sporting events can distract from a country’s very real problems, such as political turmoil, human rights abuses, and the struggles of everyday people to pay for necessities like housing and healthcare.

One of the feel-good stories of the competition was the USA Water Polo team, with Flavor Flav becoming their No. 1 hype man. However, it’s important to remember why he felt he had to get involved in the first place: It was in response to Maggie Steffen’s Instagram post calling for increased financial support. Steffens noted that most athletes work second and third jobs to fund their journeys to the Olympic stage.

While we celebrate our athletes’ achievements, we often leave them to fend for themselves, implying that the glory and privilege of representing our nation should be enough. This dynamic was especially stark in the case of discus thrower Veronica Fraley, who posted on social media that she was struggling to pay her rent the day before she was set to compete.

It’s indicative of a broader trend we’re seeing with everyday Americans. Stories abound detailing people with catastrophic medical conditions in dire financial straits who were only able to survive due to the kindness of strangers. Some medical professionals actively recommend crowdsourcing as a way to pay for medical bills.

USA Rugby player Ariana Ramsey went viral for using her time in Paris to take advantage of the free healthcare provided in the Olympic Village. Ramsey was astounded to walk into the clinic and receive basic preventative care like pap smears and teeth cleaning at no cost.

All the medals in the world can’t obscure the fact that the United States is the only high-income country without universal health care. As we come down from our Olympic high, let’s stop to think about the things that truly make a country great: access to healthcare, education, voting, personal safety, and the freedom to love.

These are the things that are truly worth their weight in gold.