Saving lives with Olympics

With the Summer Olympics in full swing down under in Australia, a novel idea crossed our minds. Why not have the next few world wars fought in the boxing arenas, gymnasiums, and tracks of the Olympiad.

The nations of the world would have to get together and make a solid agreement to abide by the outcome of the games. We could call it the Geneva Time-Trial Convention or the Warsaw Olympic Pact. And every four years we could watch the governments of the world come together to hammer out alliances and talk about smashing previous records.

Think of the savings in human life. Aside from the athletes who would die for their country, no lives would be lost. The ones who would die for country only kill themselves by over training. If you're going to die, why not be healthy, in shape, and a possible Olympian?      Talk about nationalism.

Really, it is plausible. We run the Olympics as always. The country that takes home the most medals is the victor. Silver and Bronze medal winners get proportionally smaller spoils, but do come away with land, power, or money. Each event would serve as a battle. Just as in any war, whoever wins the most battles wins the war.

War outcomes would be decided much faster this way. It only takes a few weeks for each Olympiad and there is enough variety for most countries to excel in at least one event.

Cold northern nations such as Russia, Canada, Greenland, Switzerland, and Norway would all wipe the globe in the Winter Olympics.

Tropical nations could theoretically clean house in the Summer Games. That is why alliances would have to be formed. No one nation could make a clean sweep in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The same goes in times of war. No one really comes out with a clear advantage without the help of allies.

Unfortunately we probably will never be able to get any country to sign on with the World War Olympics. Too many factors would prevent the United Nations from sponsoring this.

Wars are sadly profitable in a strange way. Businesses kick into overdrive, boosting the economy. A sense of pride and nationalism wells up in the people and unites entire nations. Oh, wait the Olympics do the same thing.

But nothing will ever take the place of bloodlust that humans seem to have ingrained in them. Not even a bloody boxing match or 15 cyclists eating the pavement will quench the thirst that a full-scale war will provide. But isn't it an interesting idea?