2012 Summer Olympics: Controversies Not so Controversial Anymore

The International Olympic Committee announced on March 30 that London is well on track to open the Summer Olympics on July 27. With the Olympic Park completed and most venues having been tested, the controversies around the Games are either resolved or forgotten.

With 118 days left until opening day, it’s unlikely that the London 2012 Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), which is responsible for producing and delivering the event, will make any changes.

Here are four controversial issues unique to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.

The Logo

What do you see when you look at it?

A colorful, powerful and energetic emblem? Or maybe a distorted swastika or perhaps you read the word “zion”? LOCOG claims the former, while some designers and Iran claim the ladder.

Bahram Afsharzadeh, Iran's National Olympic Committee secretary general, said the logo read “zion,” which is widely referred to as a synonym for Jerusalem.

A year ago, Iran threatened to boycott the games over this perception. Iranians refused to compete against Israelis, but that has happened during other competitions as well, usually resulting in disqualification.

LOCOG refused to change it, saying the logo has been discussed and tested since 2007 and no one mentioned any potential problems. The issue hasn’t been actively discussed for about a year.

Ramadan

The Games will be held from July 27 until August 12. Islam’s holiest month, during which devout Muslims don’t drink or eat anything from sunrise to sunset, will take place from July 21 until August 18. Obviously, this is a problem for Islamic athletes because athletes need to eat and drink in order to keep up their energy levels. About 3,000 Muslim athletes are expected to compete this summer in London.

The organizers paid little attention to that issue and obviously haven’t changed the dates. The International Olympic Committee met in 2009 but concluded that the impact from fasting in some sports weren’t clear.

Some Muslim athletes have found a way to deal with it. British rower Mo Sbihi will delay his fasting because he wants to win and won’t compromise his chances. Perhaps others will follow his example.

Women’s Outfit

Women boxers will compete for the first time in Summer Olympic Games. The competition is featured as a full Olympic Medal event. Medals will be awarded in: Fly Weight (48-51kg), Light Weight (57-60kg) and Middle Weight (69-75kg). There will be four rounds; each will last two minutes.

When women’s boxing was added to the Olympic program back in 2009, there was a question over whether women will have to fight in skirts. The International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) was criticized for encouraging women to wear skirts in competitions. AIBA has always denied these allegations.

Women competed in skirts at the 2010 European Championships in Poland and Romania.

Finally, a month ago, AIBA made it official that female fighters can choose what to wear.

Women's Beach Volleyball

Another clothing controversy—though not as widely discussed—was whether women competing in the beach volleyball event wear shorts instead of the usual bikini outfits. The answer, as of four days ago, is yes.

Last August during The Hague Open in The Netherlands, some women volleyball players chose to wear full bodysuits, including Brazilians Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca, and Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.