Introduction lecture for the International Olympic Academy Postgraduate Seminar on Olympic Studies, 2009

1. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Applied Ethics & the Olympic Movement
Lecture 1 of 5
17th INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON OLYMPIC STUDIES
FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS, 2009 July
Professor Andy Miah, PhD
University of the West of Scotland, UK
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

2. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
MY OLYMPIC BIOGRAPHY
• International Olympic Academy
– 2000, 2001, 2003, 2008
• IOC Museum, Lausanne, 2001
• 2001, Olympic Scholars Network
– Now: Culture at the Olympics
– http://www.culturalolympics.org.uk
• Research at the last 5 Olympics
– winter and summer
– 8-10 days of Olympic Games period
• Research into the ethics of technological culture
• Olympic Games Street scene
– Cultural, political, media
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

3. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
OUTLINE OF LECTURES:
ETHICS & THE OLYMPICS
• NEW MEDIA ETHICS
– Citizen journalism
• ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
– UNEP and IOC
• BIOETHICS
– Genetically modified athletes
• HUMAN RIGHTS
– Olympic activism
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

4. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
NEW MEDIA ETHICS
• Who can report the Olympic Games?
• What are the implications of broadcast-
quality hand held devices being used in
venues and around the Olympic city?
• What should we make of the IOC’s deal
with YouTube to reach new regions?
• Do we need a new approach to
reporting the Olympics?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

5. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
• In what way has the IOC’s environmentalism
promoted or inhibited progress towards
sustainability?
• Can Olympic competition take place in an era
of limited resources?
• Is there still a moral dilemma over the
environment?
• Does the IOC’s alignment with the UN assist
the Olympic mission?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

6. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
BIOETHICS
• How should we regard performance
enhancement in sport?
• Does the prospect of genetically
modified athletes signal the end of
sport?
• Is sport still a natural pursuit?
• Should we drug test kids in high school
and seek criminal sanctions for doping?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

7. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
HUMAN RIGHTS
• In what way should they concern the IOC?
• Is the Olympic Movement still a humanitarian
movement?
• Can the IOC align itself with human rights,
while maintaining an apolitical status?
• How have rights issues been present at the
Olympics?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

8. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Overarching theme
• Social justice
• The good life
• Ethical conduct
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

9. The Olympics should be about change. Posters from
INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS a Sydney
underground station, during 2000 Games
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

10. Torino 2006 Athletes’ Village
INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

11. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Torino 2006 Official Slogan
‘Passion Lives Here’
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

12. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS walk from the Athletes’ village
Torino 2006 a few minutes AND THE OLYMPICS
‘repression lives here’ protest
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

13. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
The Olympic Charter
• “Olympism is a philosophy of life, where
blending sport and culture with art and
education aims to combine in a balanced
whole the human qualities of body, will and
mind.”
• “Olympism is a way of life based on respect
for human dignity and fundamental
universal ethical principles, on the joy of
effort and participation, on the educational role
of good example, a way of life based on mutual
understanding.”
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

14. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Alternatively, is Olympism...
• the commodification of belief?
• the commercial value of moral convictions?
• Claim 1: The Olympic values do have special,
social significance.
• Claim 2: The special, social significance of the
rings has become reduced to a set of financial
transactions.
• Our job in this week is to interrogate Claim 2
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

15. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Celebrate Humanity
• Campaign from 2001-2004
• Promote Olympic ideals
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

16. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
THE IOC REFORMS 1999
• Formation of the Ethics Commission
• Establishment of bid protocol for IOC
members
• IOC Code of Ethics drafted
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

17. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
THE IOC REFORMS 1999
• Only gifts of nominal value, in accordance
with prevailing local customs, may be given
or accepted by the Olympic parties, as a mark
of respect or friendship. Any other gift must
be passed on to the organization of which the
beneficiary is a member (IOC Code of Ethics,
2007, April 26)
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

18. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
IOC Members’ Oath
• “Granted the honour of becoming a member of the International
Olympic Committee and of representing it, and declaring myself
aware of my responsibilities in such capacity, I undertake to
serve the Olympic Movement to the very best of my ability, to
respect and ensure the respect of all the provisions of the
Olympic Charter and the decisions of the IOC, which I consider
as not subject to appeal on my part, to comply with the Code of
Ethics, to keep myself free from any political or commercial
influence and from any racial or religious consideration, to fight
against all other forms of discrimination and to defend in all
circumstances the interests of the IOC and those of the Olympic
Movement.”
• Oath taken by every new IOC member, Olympic Charter, 20
(1.3)
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

19. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

20. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

21. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
The challenge from Olympism is to engage with the
contested claims of universals and particulars.
As a unifying philosophical project, the Olympic
Movement must assuage to a series of relativist
claims, which limit its capacity to fully aspire to the
universal values of sport.
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

22. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Overarching Questions
• Where should we look for an ethical
foundation to Olympism?
• Are there instances of universally
accepted values within the Olympic
Movement?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

23. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Discussion:
The Olympic Torch Relay
• After Beijing 2008, the IOC have questioned
the role of the torch relay’s international leg
indicating that it will cease to exist.
• Yet, the relay is the single live moment that
contributes most to the democratization of the
Olympic Games, an otherwise restricted
public experience.
• Is it right to curtail the international leg of
the relay?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

24. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

25. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net

26. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND THE OLYMPICS
Finally
• What do you think are the most
pressing ethical issues for the Olympic
Movement?
Professor Andy Miah, PhD University of the West of Scotland, UK email@andymiah.net