logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2022
18m 9s

Did politics overshadow the Winter Olymp...

Al Jazeera
About this episode

A diplomatic boycott led by the US. Strict COVID-19 pandemic measures. And athletes caught in the middle of political fights between nations. The 2022 Winter Olympics has ended in Beijing, China, but the biggest headlines weren’t about the games. American-born athletes with Chinese roots who competed for Team China found themselves at the center of a war of words between the two countries. So are the Games still about sports, or do they represent a geopolitical rivalry under the guise of sportsmanship?

In this episode: 

  • Jules Boykoff, (@JulesBoykoff) political scientist, author of NOlympians and Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics.

Connect with The Take: 

Twitter (@AJTheTake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod)

Up next
Today
Famine has been declared in Gaza. Will anything change?
Famine has been declared in Gaza City and surrounding areas, with more than half a million Palestinians facing “catastrophic conditions,” according to a UN-backed monitor. As Israel advances its plan to seize Gaza City, what scars will famine leave on Palestinians for generations ... Show More
20m 34s
Yesterday
How did Lula da Silva cut Amazon deforestation in half?
When Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office more than a year ago, he pledged to end deforestation in the Amazon by 2030. He’s on the right track: Last year, the forest shrank 50% less than in 2022. But the clock is ticking. Will Lula manage to keep his word? Th ... Show More
23m 12s
Aug 23
Another Take: Why hasn't Pakistan recovered from its catastrophic floods?
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on February 22, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Pakistan is still reeling from 2022’s deadly floods, which put a third of the country underwater. Tho ... Show More
20m 45s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2022
The Beijing Winter Olympics: High stakes for China
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will begin in 4 weeks’ time with more than 2,000 athletes from across the globe expected to take part. Officials have set up a bubble to keep arriving athletes and officials separate from the general population, all part of attempts to prevent cor ... Show More
48 m
Mar 2020
As Pressure Mounts, Olympics Postpone
(Note: A few hours after we published this episode, Japan and the IOC announced that the Olympics will, in fact, be postponed until 2021.)Yesterday, a member of the International Olympic Committee told a reporter that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed until next year. Thi ... Show More
21m 42s
Feb 2022
The Winter Olympics
The Winter Games are officially underway as Beijing becomes the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympics. Host Karnie Sharp brings us a conversation between two competitors, who are from countries that don’t traditionally send large teams to snow sports.Manon Ouaiss ... Show More
23m 49s
Dec 2021
What To Know About The U.S. Olympics Boycott
In response to China's human rights abuses, the United States will not send any government representatives to the 2022 Winter Olympics in the country. U.S. athletes will still compete. The move is expected to increase tensions between the two world powers. This episode: White Hou ... Show More
13m 8s
Feb 2021
Political Games
One year out from the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Matt Chorley speaks to Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat and the Muslim Council of Britain's Hassan Joudi about whether Britain should boycott the event over allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and to Olympic swimmer Sha ... Show More
41m 24s
Jun 2024
The Doping Scandal Rocking the Upcoming Olympics
A new doping scandal is rocking the world of competitive swimming, as the Paris Olympics approach. These allegations are raising questions about fairness in the sport and whether the results at the summer games can be trusted.Michael S. Schmidt, one of the reporters who broke the ... Show More
26m 49s