This past Friday in the Rose Dining Hall, I watched the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Games. My favorite part of the broadcast has always been the introduction of all the different countries’ athletes. It’s especially fun to view the smaller, lesser known countries that are so often overlooked. It is important that we be reminded that the world is not simply composed of the US, China, Russia and other big powerhouses. There is a diverse multitude of peoples spanning the globe, and we need to be more aware of their existence and contributions to our society.

In the ceremony, one of the most conspicuous moments occurred when a group called the “Olympics Athletes from Russia” was introduced. This abnormal title was the result of Russia being found guilty of a long history of state-sponsored doping of many of its athletes. Although many were banned, the Russian athletes present at the Olympics were permitted to compete, unaffiliated with their homeland, as they had no history of doping despite being tested often. Although this decision was controversial, I support the allowance of these athletes to compete.

Because the Olympics is considered a competition between nations rather than between individual athletes, many have argued that Russian athletes, whether guilty or not of doping, should be banned from competition due to violations by their nation. This is often the protocol in college athletics — if rules are broken by a college, the students are not allowed to compete, independent of whether they actually, individually, defied certain restrictions. Many argue that this policy should be applied to Russian athletes in the Olympics.

However, as an athlete myself, it is difficult to agree with this argument. Athletes have to mentally and physically push themselves to unbelievable limits all in pursuit of a specific goal. Therefore, I, and any other athlete, would be absolutely gutted to be prevented from competing on the biggest athletic stage there is just because my country violated a rule that I never once defied. Although the Olympics are certainly a competition between nations, in reality, individuals are competing, gaining notoriety and prestige for themselves. It simply isn’t fair, nor is it just, to have to sit on the sidelines, despite doing nothing wrong. All that hard work would be for nothing.

Therefore, I agree with the decision to allow Russian athletes who have not been found guilty of doping to pursue their dreams at the Olympics.