Games Over
The Olympics are over, and while many look back fondly on the accomplishments of their countrymen/women, others aren’t so happy. Perhaps the saltiest of all is the Egyptian head honcho – Hosni Mubarak ordered the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate why Egypt didn’t do better in Beijing!
Egypt sent 177 athletes to the 2008 Olympics, 26 of them women. The only medalist was Hesham Mesbah who walked away with a bronze for his judo performance. In Athens, 106 Egyptian athletes managed to scoop up 5 medals. Since it began competing back in 1912, the Arab world’s most populous nation has managed to amass a total of 21 Olympic medals (7 gold, 6 silver, and 8 bronze). I’ve done the math and can’t understand why Mubarak’s got his panties in a bunch this time around.
The new (unneeded) investigative committee will be headed by the Minister of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; he’s already struggling with his portfolio. Its members will be holding their first meeting soon. They are tasked with identifying those responsible for Egypt’s “poor performance” and holding them accountable (obviously, the last word will be with Hosni). I didn’t get a chance to watch as much of the games as I would have liked, but it seems Egypt’s athletes were ultimately responsible for their successes and failures… lets not forget those coaches and trainers.
Call me crazy, but doesn’t Egypt’s government have a lot more to worry about than punishing it’s Olympians (or whoever else they deem worthy)? What about human rights, press and religious freedoms? What about the problems related to sexism and the mistreatment of women? What about record inflation and the rising cost of living? What about corruption and the rampant poverty it causes? (Cairo receives over $2.2 billion in US aid each year, third only to Baghdad and Tel Aviv.) What about water, infrastructure, pollution, and all those other pesky problems governments have to contend with?
Ironically, Mubarak’s stranglehold on the Brotherhood contibutes significantly to their popularity. Like Hamas, they also provide social services to the needy and neglected. I’m not a fan, but it’s no wonder they’re so popular in Egypt. Many can relate to them since they also feel Hosni’s grip. Ask an average Egyptian in a busy Cairo street what he thinks about his president and he’s far more likely to be tacit or shower him with praise than he is to speak the truth. Egypt deserves better (as do all other countries in the Middle-East). Rabbena ysahel. Whether or not he lives another three years, Mubarak’s days are numbered. His son Gamal is likely to succeed him and that would surely result in a significant backlash. In the unlikely event that the state of emergency is lifted between now and then, it would surely be re-introduced. With a rapidly rising population on lock down and the growing gap between the rich and poor, the future doesn’t look good. Instead of whining about Egypt’s Olympic achievements, Mubarak and company would do better by finding some way to avoid the country slipping into chaos… that is if they truly care about their people. Personally, I’m happy for Hesham and all the other Egyptians who competed in Beijing. Sure I would have liked to see them do better… but they didn’t. Life goes on.
