The fault of one is the fault of all.
That has been the norm among bigots since time immemorial. It is also still being used by several military leaders steeped in one-track mind modes.
A sample of this is a platoon of soldiers all getting punished for the mistake of one platoon member. And, in a basketball team, all members might be ordered to do 100 push-ups each when one member bungles a play.
But is the International Olympic Committee (IOC) now being ruled by cave men? Is it being run by Jurassic-thinking drillmasters?
I ask in reaction to recent reports that the IOC has scrapped boxing and weightlifting in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
If true, then the IOC is being unfair.
IOC’s reasons for the cancellation of both Olympic disciplines in 2028 is, weightlifting and boxing are plagued by corruption from the top leadership down and doping scandals.
While that might hold water, why kill the sport? Why not attack the root cause of the problem, which palpably points to people involved in corruption and doping?
These people are usually the same jerks running the disciplines in their respective countries, abetting the wrongdoings mostly for personal gain. What else is new? For the longest time, this has been the norm.
But the catch is, the collared shenanigans usually come from First World countries—the reason being that they have the moolah to purchase power-enhancing drugs.
And where does corruption come in?
It’s in the match-rigging operations by shady characters—usually happening in boxing, where judges are commonly bought to favor competitors whose leaders are awash with cash to disburse for ill-gotten gold medals.
But, alas, for Third World countries like the Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors, they always fight fair and square because, mostly, their leaders are upright. Besides, they do not have the blood money for hanky-panky business.
Thus, bottom line is, the IOC’s hostile act of kicking out boxing and weightlifting for the sins of mostly First World countries ultimately make us Third World competitors the hapless victims.
Sad that for always playing it neat and clean, we may yet end up as collateral damage should the IOC proceed with its kill-boxing-weightlifting mentality for the 2028 Olympic calendar.