Patriotism and Sport

Sport is often interconnected with superiority because it represents the best that country has to offer.  This usually means that athletes are talented, hard workers, and display a high level of sportsmanship.  However, history has shown us a time period where values and morals were not the primary concerns of athletes and their superiors. During the Cold War the United States was having an arms race against the USSR: democracy vs. communism.   In the article Sports, Drugs, and the Cold War, the world was in a mindset where “there was the assumption that the world has one winner and all the rest losers in each event [which] leads towards drug abuse.”  Each country wanted the biggest advantage possible to prove their point to the world therefore some supported or even provided their athletes with enhancement drugs to improve their athletic abilities.  The interesting factor is that in spite of several athletes not agreeing with the ethics of cheating, several did.  Honesty and integrity of the sport was thrown out the window and for the sake of patriotism.  Patriotism caused a complete shift of mindset for what each athlete though was the better cause.  It is fascinating that the rivalry between these two ideologies exceeded politics and not only affected the world but the principles and morals of some individuals.  Sport has always been a societal community where individuals come together to exemplify a common interest, but it has been proven to connect individuals with their nation in an astonishing manner.