--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the Olympic Games have been…" description: "\"I think the Olympic Games have been married to political statements. If I go back to Berlin in 1936, it was very politically orientated then, just with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/john-carlos-16923_berlin_i-think-the-olympic-games-have-been-marr_1061411.jpg" --- # I think the Olympic Games have been married to political… ![“I think the Olympic Games have been married to political statements. If I go back to Berlin in 1936, it was very politically orientated then, just with the Nazis.” quote by John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/john-carlos-16923_berlin_i-think-the-olympic-games-have-been-marr_1061411.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/john-carlos-16923_berlin_i-think-the-olympic-games-have-been-marr_1061411.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/john-carlos-16923_berlin_i-think-the-olympic-games-have-been-marr_1061411.jpg) > “I think the Olympic Games have been married to political statements. If I go back to Berlin in 1936, it was very politically orientated then, just with the Nazis.” [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Olympics have long been a stage for political expression, reflecting host nations' ideologies. **In simple terms:** Games mirror politics. Key Takeaway Recognize sport’s political dimension. Themes politics sports history Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - Olympic ceremonies - athlete protests - media coverage Key Concepts nationalism propaganda Questions to Reflect On - How should athletes navigate political platforms? - What responsibilities do hosts have? A Different Perspective Political use can eclipse athletic values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Nazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazi/) [Olympic games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic-games/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political statement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-statement/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think that the Olympic games are a good place to bring up any political issues because it should be about the athletes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/i-don-t-think-that-the-olympic-games-are-a-good-place-to-bring-up-any/) [Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/) > [I didn't think I would have an Olympic medal at 21, but I knew I would give my best and play my game. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-v-sindhu/i-didn-t-think-i-would-have-an-olympic-medal-at-21-but-i-knew-i-would/) [P. V. Sindhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-v-sindhu/) > [Creating emotion was what my career was all about. I wanted people to laugh at me; I wanted people to cry with me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/creating-emotion-was-what-my-career-was-all-about-i-wanted-people-to/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I think an Olympic medal is the only thing missing from what I can physically achieve as a cyclist. I can't win the Tour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cavendish/i-think-an-olympic-medal-is-the-only-thing-missing-from-what-i-can/) [Mark Cavendish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cavendish/) > [I don't have all this money people think Olympic athletes have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/i-don-t-have-all-this-money-people-think-olympic-athletes-have/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [ Let's start with the black glove. We felt it necessary being the fact that the Olympic Games, for the first time ever \[in 1968\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/let-s-start-with-the-black-glove-we-felt-it-necessary-being-the-fact/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [If you look at the Olympic Games as a whole, if we would say we didn't want to interject politics into the games, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/if-you-look-at-the-olympic-games-as-a-whole-if-we-would-say-we-didn-t/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [We're all living blinkered lives, and we're not seeing what's going on and looking to change it. I'm not saying that everyone has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/we-re-all-living-blinkered-lives-and-we-re-not-seeing-what-s-going-on/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [I feel like how I live my life is my own political statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/i-feel-like-how-i-live-my-life-is-my-own-political-statement/) LP > [“I'm not a politician," he told me. "I keep my mouth shut because I don't want to put my foot in it. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-m-not-a-politician-he-told-me-i-keep-my-mouth-shut-because-i-don-t/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [There are people who've said that I'm being brave for being openly supportive of gay marriage, gay adoption... With all due respect, I humbly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/there-are-people-who-ve-said-that-i-m-being-brave-for-being-openly/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [“For some politics has become a battle ground that allows them to vent their frustrations, while at the same time hide behind the anonymity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-ground-that-allows-them-to-vent/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [Breaststroke is an athletic event; butterfly is a political statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/breaststroke-is-an-athletic-event-butterfly-is-a-political-statement/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) > [My work isn't overtly political, although it is sometimes painted in places where I don't have permission to paint, so that could be construed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/my-work-isn-t-overtly-political-although-it-is-sometimes-painted-in/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [“It's her! Selene! Your Majesty!" Cinder took a step back and felt her serenity slough away, leaving behind the same tension she'd lived with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/it-s-her-selene-your-majesty-cinder-took-a-step-back-and-felt-her/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) ## More by John Carlos > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [The beginning don't matter. The end don't matter. All that matters is what you do in between...the greatest reward is to know that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beginning-don-t-matter-the-end-don-t-matter-all-that-matters-is/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ The black socks \[on me at Olympics in 1968\] emphasized the fact that we had so many Blacks and people of color here in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-black-socks-on-me-at-olympics-in-1968-emphasized-the-fact-that-we/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I'm not too proud to do any job to support my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-m-not-too-proud-to-do-any-job-to-support-my-family/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [My kids going to school and teachers denying my kids the grades that they should have once they found out that I was their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/my-kids-going-to-school-and-teachers-denying-my-kids-the-grades-that/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I think it's something that we said collectively, in terms of the fact that we was getting ready to face probably the biggest storms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-think-it-s-something-that-we-said-collectively-in-terms-of-the-fact/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [If you look at the Olympic Games as a whole, if we would say we didn't want to interject politics into the games, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/if-you-look-at-the-olympic-games-as-a-whole-if-we-would-say-we-didn-t/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I think society had to grow up to the mentality of Peter Norman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-think-society-had-to-grow-up-to-the-mentality-of-peter-norman/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I was a pallbearer. I felt, when I got the call that Peter had died, I didn't have any bank account, but I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-was-a-pallbearer-i-felt-when-i-got-the-call-that-peter-had-died-i/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ It took some time for us to realize that \[people\] didn't particularly say they didn't like us or have the love for us that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/it-took-some-time-for-us-to-realize-that-people-didn-t-particularly/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Peter Norman is a humanitarian, and I say "is" because in my life, Peter Norman is never deceased. He's always going to live with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/peter-norman-is-a-humanitarian-and-i-say-is-because-in-my-life-peter/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Peter Norman's a man's man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/peter-norman-s-a-man-s-man/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [In life, there's the beginning and the end. The beginning don't matter. The end don't matter. All that matters is what you do in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/in-life-there-s-the-beginning-and-the-end-the-beginning-don-t-matter/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ The beads around my neck \[at Olympics in 1968\] indicated that there were so many Blacks throughout the history of this country that have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in-1968-indicated-that-there/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ Peter \[Norman\] never vacated from himself as to who he was. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/peter-norman-never-vacated-from-himself-as-to-who-he-was/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) [Explore all 38 John Carlos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) ## More Berlin quotes > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I did a concert... in September with the Berlin Philharmonic... They're great musicians, and there's always something to learn from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-bartoli/i-did-a-concert-in-september-with-the-berlin-philharmonic-they-re/) [Cecilia Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-bartoli/) > [The fall of the Berlin Wall makes for nice pictures. But it all started in the shipyards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall-makes-for-nice-pictures-but-it-all/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [The music changed. We had Irving Berlin and Gershwin and Lerner and Loewe and Cole Porter. Great music. Now we have 'Rent.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/the-music-changed-we-had-irving-berlin-and-gershwin-and-lerner-and/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [My works are dear to me, each in its own way, I shall have to answer for them on the Day off Judgement. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/my-works-are-dear-to-me-each-in-its-own-way-i-shall-have-to-answer/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [I'm not a prophet, but I always thought it was natural for dictatorships to fall. I remember in 1989, two months before the fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-not-a-prophet-but-i-always-thought-it-was-natural-for/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The church of St. Peter at Berlin, notwithstanding the total difference between them in the style of building, appears in some respects to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-philipp-moritz/the-church-of-st-peter-at-berlin-notwithstanding-the-total-difference/) [Karl Philipp Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-philipp-moritz/) > [...what happened in New York and Washington is the same thing that England and America did to Berlin every day for three years during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/what-happened-in-new-york-and-washington-is-the-same-thing-that/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [I am in Paris. Yes ma'am , I made it back. I came up from Berlin, stopped here ten days, fought a losing battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/i-am-in-paris-yes-ma-am-i-made-it-back-i-came-up-from-berlin-stopped/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [God bless America, land that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-berlin/god-bless-america-land-that-i-love/) [Irving Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-berlin/) > [I wouldn't want to live in Berlin. It's bombed out and there's a lot of techno.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-in-berlin-it-s-bombed-out-and-there-s-a-lot/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Berlin is still a very edgy place, a very cosmopolitan place. It's a place where completely different ideas and cultures come together and clash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/berlin-is-still-a-very-edgy-place-a-very-cosmopolitan-place-it-s-a/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Berlin would be a great place to have no cell phone, I think. Especially if you were able to live in a central location.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ebert/berlin-would-be-a-great-place-to-have-no-cell-phone-i-think/) [Alex Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ebert/) > [Those who have ever valued liberty for its own sake believed that to be free to choose, and not to be chosen for, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-berlin/those-who-have-ever-valued-liberty-for-its-own-sake-believed-that-to/) [Isaiah Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-berlin/) > [The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in this business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-berlin/the-toughest-thing-about-success-is-that-you-ve-got-to-keep-on-being/) [Irving Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-berlin/) [Browse all 438 Berlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the Olympic Games have been married to political statements. 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