This book contains an international collection of essays by leading philosophers of sport on the ethics and philosophy of the Olympic Games. The essays consider a range of topics including critical reflections on nationalism and internationalism within the Olympic movement, sexism in Olympic marketing and sponsorship, the preservation and corruption of Olympism, the underlying ideology of the Olympic Games, the inequalities of perception in ability and disability as it informs our understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and comparisons between ancient and modern interpretations of the meaning and significance of the Olympic Games. This book will be of interest to historians, philosophers, and sociologists of sports, as well as to the sporting public who simply want to know more about the grounding ideas behind the greatest show on earth.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy.

Contents

1. Olympic Ethics and Philosophy: Old Wine in New Bottles 2. The Political Heritage of the Olympic Games: Relevance, Risks, and Possible Rewards 3. The Peace Movement on the Occasion of the 21st Olympic Games: Development and Limitations 4. The Youth Olympic Games – Some Ethical Issues 5. A Well Balanced Life Based on ‘The Joy of Effort’: Olympic Hype or a Meaningful Ideal? 6. Fair or Temple: Two Possibilities for Olympic Sport7. Olympism, the Values of Sport, and the Will to Power: De Coubertin and Nietzsche meet Eugenio Monti8. Pandora Logic: Rules, Moral Judgement and the Fundamental Principles of Olympism 9. Olympism and Sport’s Intrinsic Value 10. Smoke and Mirrors: A Critique of Women Olympians’ Nude Reflections 11. Paralympians Outperforming Olympians: An Increasing Challenge for Olympism and the Paralympic and Olympic Movement 12. The Moral Pathologies of National Sporting Representation at the Olympics 13. Expatriate Coaching, Olympism, and the Olympic Games

Author Bio

Mike McNamee isor of Applied Ethics at Swansea University, UK. He is a former President of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport and the Editor of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy. Previous publications include Doping and Anti-Doping Policy in Sport (2011) and The Ethics of Sports: A Reader (2010).

Jim Parry is Professor at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Previous publications include Phenomenological Approaches to Sport (2012) and Theology, Ethics and Transcendence in Sports (2010).