Will 2022 bring another Miracle on Ice?

The modern Olympics were conceived as a celebration of amateurs. In this idealistic vision, athletes from all over the world would gather to compete on the basis of ability, commitment and friendly competition – not because they were paid.

It doesn’t work that way. Since the 1970s, restrictions on the participation of professionals have been steadily relaxed. The changes have been less dramatic in sports that cannot sustain commercial leagues, but in basketball, hockey and some other Olympic events, the competition is mostly international stars. , who make millions of dollars deploying their skills seasonally on behalf of privately held franchise values.

It was a breath of fresh air, then, as the USA Hockey organization announced their roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics this week. For NHL forbidden If their players don’t participate due to the COVID-related disruption of the season, the US team will be hit hard in terms of college player. For many fans, the youth team will be reminiscent of the 1980s “Miracle on Ice” team, which defeated a popular (and effectively professionalized) Soviet team before claiming a medal. yellow.

The lingering enthusiasm of the Cold War isn’t the only reason the story sticks with us more than four decades later. The Olympics are at their best as they provide a fleeting but striking period for athletes and events that otherwise receive little attention. It is true that the meaning of the word amateur has changed over the decades – as depicted in the film Train, competitors are initially discouraged from seeking a coach’s advice or even engaging in systematic training. But there’s still something thrilling about watching athletes who know they’ll never play for a living giving all they’ve got for a few minutes, hours, or glory days.

However, it’s too bad in terms of setup. As the Games became increasingly expensive and difficult to mount, the host role became most attractive to authoritarian regimes hoping to use them as a showcase for their economic and technological prowess. surname. In 1980, it was a miracle for an amateur team to beat the Soviet Union on the field. In 2022, we need a very different miracle to upset the arrogance of the Chinese Communist Party.