--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never thought of the Olympics as a…" description: "\"I've never thought of the Olympics as a political statement. I really think a boycott ... is in the wrong as far as the athletes are concerned.\" — John..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg" --- # I've never thought of the Olympics as a political… ![“I've never thought of the Olympics as a political statement. I really think a boycott ... is in the wrong as far as the athletes are concerned.” quote by Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg) > “I've never thought of the Olympics as a political statement. I really think a boycott ... is in the wrong as far as the athletes are concerned.” [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletes should be protected from political disputes that distract from sport. **In simple terms:** Politics can harm athletes. Key Takeaway Advocate for athlete-focused policies. Themes sports politics ethics Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical analytical When to use this quote - Olympic participation - national boycotts - athlete advocacy Key Concepts human rights sports governance Questions to Reflect On - Should sports be a neutral ground? - How can athletes voice concerns safely? A Different Perspective Political actions may be necessary for broader justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Boycott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boycott/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [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/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think the whole boycott thing was a bit too much. It's because we're accomplished so much in women's tennis in the last two,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-hingis/i-think-the-whole-boycott-thing-was-a-bit-too-much-it-s-because-we-re/) [Martina Hingis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-hingis/) > [My commitment to the Olympics is not a political commitment. It's not a commitment to any particular social system or cultural idea. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hainer/my-commitment-to-the-olympics-is-not-a-political-commitment-it-s-not/) [Herbert Hainer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hainer/) > [Approaching any movie with a three in the title you know you are not going to get a political polemic. You are not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/approaching-any-movie-with-a-three-in-the-title-you-know-you-are-not/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [When I look at the chaotic and volatile debate right now, both in Germany and around the world, my impression and concern is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peer-steinbruck/when-i-look-at-the-chaotic-and-volatile-debate-right-now-both-in/) [Peer Steinbruck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peer-steinbruck/) > [I'm not a politician, She says evenly. If I want to be one, I'll run for office. Susan Sarandon, whom I know and love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/i-m-not-a-politician-she-says-evenly-if-i-want-to-be-one-i-ll-run-for/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [Everything you do is political, even if it's abstract. You're making a political statement even if it's unwittingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everything-you-do-is-political-even-if-it-s-abstract-you-re-making-a/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [I may go back and spice it up with a little bit of the tool stuff and grunting and all that that I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/i-may-go-back-and-spice-it-up-with-a-little-bit-of-the-tool-stuff-and/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [I don't make political statements; let's all have a laugh. Let's all live and be free. I try and live to the letter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-roberts/i-don-t-make-political-statements-let-s-all-have-a-laugh-let-s-all/) [Mark Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-roberts/) > [Political statements are usually more direct, and it works with the upbeat music as well, for some reason, the directness of your statements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/political-statements-are-usually-more-direct-and-it-works-with-the/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [You can't say 'I don't do politics,' because silence is a political statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/you-can-t-say-i-don-t-do-politics-because-silence-is-a-political/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [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 Johnny Weir > [Some people eat, some people drink, some people smoke. I Pledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/some-people-eat-some-people-drink-some-people-smoke-i-pledge/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I think being in the public eye can only help me launch into the world of fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-think-being-in-the-public-eye-can-only-help-me-launch-into-the/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [Figure skating is theatrical, and a part of it is wearing costumes. My costumes were very over-the-top and outrageous for figure skating. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/figure-skating-is-theatrical-and-a-part-of-it-is-wearing-costumes-my/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [My family, the support of my friends, the amount of people that have written and come up to me on the street and said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/my-family-the-support-of-my-friends-the-amount-of-people-that-have/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I hate summer, to be honest. I hate dressing. I hate the heat. I hate sweaty people getting aggressively close to you when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-hate-summer-to-be-honest-i-hate-dressing-i-hate-the-heat-i-hate/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [In spite of all the skills that I do have, to relate to the normal world I have no applicable skills. I can speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/in-spite-of-all-the-skills-that-i-do-have-to-relate-to-the-normal/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I’m good when I’m alone. I’m comfortable when I’m alone. I can sit and do lots of things all by myself. Sex included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-m-good-when-i-m-alone-i-m-comfortable-when-i-m-alone-i-can-sit-and/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I hope that more children have the same opportunities as me, with the same parents as me, that let me be an individual, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-hope-that-more-children-have-the-same-opportunities-as-me-with-the/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I am an American man, and in America, we still think of figure skaters as little girls in pretty, sparkly dresses - I worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-am-an-american-man-and-in-america-we-still-think-of-figure-skaters/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I love the Olympic Games. The Olympics are an event that few can fathom but all can enjoy, and that's why athletes work our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-love-the-olympic-games-the-olympics-are-an-event-that-few-can/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I'm going to be a happy housewife. I'm going to be washing boxers and cooking and doing all those sorts of housewife duties. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-m-going-to-be-a-happy-housewife-i-m-going-to-be-washing-boxers-and/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [Whether I moved people to throw punches or cry, I did that through my art and what I do. I would never take that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/whether-i-moved-people-to-throw-punches-or-cry-i-did-that-through-my/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [Now the fact that people are saying, 'Oh my God, he's finally come out' - I was never in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/now-the-fact-that-people-are-saying-oh-my-god-he-s-finally-come-out-i/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I don't eat as much as an athlete should. I just don't like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-don-t-eat-as-much-as-an-athlete-should-i-just-don-t-like-it/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [No mother wants to hear her son say he's gay. Those two words rip the picture of a daughter-in-law and grandchildren into pieces. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/no-mother-wants-to-hear-her-son-say-he-s-gay-those-two-words-rip-the/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) [Explore all 106 Johnny Weir quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never thought of the Olympics as a political statement. I really think a boycott ... is in the wrong as far as the athletes are concerned.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Weir" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a-political-statement-i-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a-political-statement-i-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/johnny-weir-4775_athlete_i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a_859640.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never thought of the Olympics as a political statement. I really think a boycott ... is in the wrong as…” — Johnny Weir", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Johnny Weir", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never thought of the Olympics...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a-political-statement-i-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-ve-never-thought-of-the-olympics-as-a-political-statement-i-really/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```