Are the Olympic Games politically neutral?

Jul 27, 2024 12:59 pm UTC| Insights & Views Sports

In the early 20th century, the father of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, wrote that the competition ought to be free from political interference. Yet its often hard for champions to escape world affairs....

Politics, security and the Seine: where the Paris Olympics’ flashpoints will be

Jul 27, 2024 12:53 pm UTC| Insights & Views Sports

Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a group of men. On Monday, two...

Who will win Olympic rugby sevens gold? Our algorithm uses 10,000 simulations to rank the teams

Jul 25, 2024 15:11 pm UTC| Sports

The speed, skill and flair on display in rugby sevens makes it an ideal Olympic sport. The Paris games should be no exception, especially given Frances own great rugby tradition. While the conventional 15-a-side game...

The colourful history of the Olympic opening ceremony

Jul 25, 2024 15:09 pm UTC| Insights & Views Sports

If youre planning to tune in to the Paris Olympics, you probably arent just looking forward to the feats of sporting excellence youll be hoping to catch the cultural spectacle of the opening ceremony, too. These flashy...

Athletes looking for a competitive edge may find it within their gut microbiome

Jul 24, 2024 11:32 am UTC| Sports

When milliseconds can mean the difference between silver and gold, endurance athletes in sports like marathon running, cycling, rowing and swimming optimize every aspect of their physiology for a competitive edge. Many...

People with disability know bodies can be funny – so it’s OK that you’re laughing at the Paralympics TikTok account

Jul 24, 2024 11:27 am UTC| Sports

Our bodies are delightfully ridiculous. When God created humanity, they knew our short lives would be full of pain, hardship and horror. So they created our bodies absurdly clumsy, squidgy and bouncy, messy and noisy,...

Brand Olympics: do the famous rings deliver value to host countries?

Jul 21, 2024 16:33 pm UTC| Insights & Views Sports

The cost of hosting Paris 2024, the 33rd Olympics, is predicted to be more than A$14 billion. So whats in it for the French? Will this oldest of sporting events shine for them, or as has happened with some previous...