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The Olympics are more than fun and games. They’re a billion-dollar business with political overtones


1 of 5 | FILE - The Olympic rings are set up at Trocadero plaza that overlooks the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Sept. 14, 2017. The Paris Olympics involve about 10,500 athletes from 200 countries or regions. But the Olympics are more than just fun and games. They are a giant business that generates billions of dollars in income for the International Olympic Committee. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

By STEPHEN WADE
Updated 5:00 AM CDT, June 18, 2024

The Paris Olympics involve about 10,500 athletes from 200 countries or regions. But the Olympics are more than just fun and games.

They are a giant business that generates billions of dollars in income for the International Olympic Committee. They’re also a proxy for geopolitical influence seen through the standings in the medal tables, the presence of world leaders at the opening ceremony and the national anthems serenading gold-medal winners.

Here’s a look at how the IOC and the Olympics operate.
It’s a business, not a charity

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https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-explainer-086d71dfa93128a2c5a302cb47ec3524