The 2002 Winter Olympics begin today. More than 2,000 athletes from 80 countries have descended on Salt Lake City, Utah, for the XIX Winter Games. This year's Olympiad takes place in the shadow of the Sept. 11 terror bombings. The games are a vital reminder that competition among nations may be inevitable, but it can be channeled into healthy endeavors. We need not be perpetually divided by differences between nations. Now, more than ever, the world needs the Olympic spirit.
In ancient times, conflicts were suspended during the Olympics. In keeping with that tradition, the United Nations usually calls for an Olympic truce during the competition. In 1994, the then-chief of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, opened the Lillehammer Games with a plea for a ceasefire in the Balkans. This year, there will be no such plea. The U.N. has been silent, and Mr. Jacques Rogge, the new IOC head, is unlikely to repeat Mr. Samaranch's statement during the opening ceremonies that will be held later today with U.S. President George W. Bush in the audience.
Although unspoken, reminders of the war against terrorism will be ever present. Several thousand military personnel will be on the ground; aircraft will patrol no-fly zones over venues; there will be metal detectors at event entrances; spectators will be examined with facial recognition technology; and mail will be screened for bombs and treated for possible biological contamination.