Monday, February 22, 2010

A Winter Olympics in the time of Global warming

The world is yet to witness an event comparable to the Olympic Games that brings us all altogether. It celebrates the glory of the human spirit. The reach and impact of such a celebration touches every earthling alike. It is a competition that tests every distance that can be treaded, every height that could be reached and kept and the speed that a human body can touch. The power, precision and skill rises above the irrelevance of caste, colour, creed and the sundry. It stands true to the gospel of 'One World'.

The winter Olympics unlike its more famous summer counterpart has to have a favourable environmental setting to happen in the first place. It cannot be competed in the heart of Africa or the rumble of Delhi which more famously is called the site of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It beats common reason why our over-enthusiastic Sports Minister does not want it to happen in our land given our excellent infrastructure and even more amiable hospitality and the undoubtable will to complete all required arrangements on time. Mr. Kalmadi can vouch Balewadi's competence in meeting world standards. He can even convince Usain Bolt to come and inaugurate the event and skate for a while to garner enough international attention. And what an opportunity for a distant aunty's son of his to be photographed with Bolt uncle.

If better sense prevails, the games ought to have an environment of snow, ice and 'chill' in the air. But if global warming is to affect us the way it is predicted to, what will be the fate of the games? If Pauchauri's presages do hold true(the ones he made before recanting a statement he already made which nevertheless was contradictory to his earlier saying, now we know the surest way to win the Nobel prize) we might end up bidding goodbye to the winter Olympics no later than 2020. Unless, of course, we can hold them atop the Himalayas which won’t be higher than 1000m not more than a few years from now.

The melting Arctic and Antarctic circles, the rising sea-levels and the declining ice sure stand the greatest threat to the games. One wishful decision sure stands to backfire were the portends of the effects of global warming to stand true. Some reports claim an influential South Korean was pardoned of his crimes of tax evasion and corruption charges. Will Mr. Pauchauri please stand up and proclaim this is but a futile effort? If the consequences of 'ill- actions' of us humans are to stand true we better be ready to kiss the Games a tearful goodbye.

As the games now draw to an end, the IOC has more to worry than catching drug-cheats and brim with that wicked smile of being a step ahead. The world is at siege and if this is not tended to, we might not be able to witness the grace and glory on ice. There were reports of snow being brought to Canada to ensure a smooth Olympics, lest the ice slipped under an unfortunate athlete’s foot.

The next games are in Russia in 2014 and bids for the one after that are on. It would pay in gold to verify whether the planet is good enough to host any further games. This is if the icy grip of global warming tightens it's hold on mankind. It seems strange that the games were not chosen as a platform to promulgate the doom's day prophecy and what humanity stands to lose if the warnings of nature are not heeded to.

11 comments:

  1. you wrote a post after a long long time..!!
    i had recently been to delhi and seen the slow pace of work being done there for CWG.
    i think the work will continue even after the games are over.

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  2. Hi sepo,
    Yes been out for a while.
    Looks like it would n we expect all the foreign athletes to come and play
    It would be fun though :)
    thanks for stopping bye.
    Cheers!

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  3. hey no new post since few days...i just hope all is well :)

    http://liberalflorence.blogspot.com/
    http://sparkledaroma.blogspot.com/

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  4. Shashank..Nice post.. but friend winter games are anyways a little low profile affair..or they have made it so for so many years..But are we ready to handle sth like an Olympic keeping in view our progress in CWG preparations..?

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  5. Hi Prerna
    Been away for a while and yes all is well. :)..

    Hey Anand!
    Thanks for stopping by..
    Winter games do have a following. Not comparable to summer games but a substantial one. And do you really suppose we are keeping up with promises we have made for the CWG preparations. Recent news seem contradictory...
    Keep visiting bro :)

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  6. I know we are gonna screw up big time in CWG..

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  7. hey bro,
    u r so right..the CWG games here in Delhi are in a jiffy..multiple hiearchies and approvals, and of course , lots of money at stake..
    hope the CWG games goes on well...we can just hope..

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  8. Hola,

    I just wanted to wish you a safe and peaceful Christmas...^^

    Feliz Navidad!!! Dios nos bendiga a todos!!!^^

    ~Kelvin

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  9. hey!! its been so long since you posted anything!
    hope all is well and you are doing good!
    cheers

    ReplyDelete