Your Voice: Politics and Olympics, spirit of Hong Kong and what pop stars teach us

All eyes are on Paris as the world watches the 2024 Olympics. It is one of the most significant and anticipated sporting events, fielding athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Olympic Team.

Although the Olympic Games are meant to celebrate athleticism, they often have controversies that make headlines. At the Paris Games, there was an issue with the Seine Rivers’ contamination, which delayed the men’s triathlon event. There was also international concern over France’s ban on hijabs for its athletes.

French basketball player Diaba Konate, who wears a hijab, recently completed a successful college career after helping UC Irvine reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1995. She was an essential player on the French youth team and would have continued her legacy at the Paris Olympics.

However, she cannot represent France due to a discriminatory rule banning hijabs for all French athletes. This rule, announced by French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra last fall, stems from France’s crackdowns on Islamic dress as they attempt to uphold their national principles of secularism.

5 inspiring quotes from athletes competing at the Paris Olympics

This is not the first time politics have impacted the Games in Olympic history. Nations have repeatedly capitalised on the Games to exemplify their personal beliefs.

One of the most significant controversies was during the 1936 Berlin Olympics when Nazi Germany barred Jews from representing the country. However, amid threats of a boycott, the Nazis allowed Helene Mayer, who had a Christian mother and a Jewish father, to represent Germany in the women’s foil fencing category. Mayer’s unique participation as a Jewish athlete resulted from international pressure and demonstrated politics in the Olympics.

That same year, in the men’s 4x100 relay, US Jewish runners Sam Stoller and Marty Glickman were suddenly replaced moments before the race. Although no official explanation was given, many suspect that it was a result of Nazi Germany’s hostile antisemitism.

To flaunt Aryan supremacy, the Nazis invested heavily in the Games to ensure an unforgettable experience for visiting nations by staging a spectacular opening ceremony. They built lavish facilities and created the first Olympic Torch Relay. The route of the relay was meticulously planned and travelled through seven lebensraum countries, territory deemed additional living space for Germans by Hitler.

Although the International Olympic Committee’s mission is “to maintain and promote its political neutrality and to preserve the autonomy of sport”, politics is always prevalent in the Games. In 2021, the Olympics motto added the word “Communiter”, meaning “together”, to promote solidarity.

As such, countries should respect the Games’ purpose and keep their political motives away, as athletes should never be penalised for their background or used as pawns by political figures.

Kali Lam, St Paul’s Secondary School

Twilight of the Warrior: Walled In brings to life the infamous settlement, Kowloon Walled City, and the film has received significant attention since its release in May. Its box office has already exceeded HK$110 million, becoming the city’s most-watched film. In my opinion, the movie undoubtedly represents Hong Kong.

What sets this film apart and makes it a must-watch? It’s the unique historical background it brings to life – the enigmatic Kowloon Walled City.

Kowloon Walled City was famous for being an ungoverned enclave from the 1950s to the 1980s. Neither the colonial Hong Kong government nor the Chinese government could control it. Due to its peculiar political situation, many refugees took shelter in this unwelcome Kowloon Walled City.

In the movie, the person in charge of this place, Tornado, played by Louis Koo, tells Lok, played by Raymond Lam, that whether he has a passport or not, he can stay there. This movie accurately captures the essence of this iconic place.

Secondly, this movie evokes a nostalgic depiction of Hong Kong in its golden era and embodies communal spirit. Tornado is deeply enamoured with Kowloon Walled City and tries hard to protect it. Even when the villain, King, played by Philip Ng, occupies Kowloon Walled City, Tornado and Lok choose to remain in the Walled City and do not flinch. Lok tells Tornado that he had never slept through the night before arriving at the Walled City, a place he would proudly call home.

‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ becomes most-watched Hong Kong film

Like Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong is a special place that has embraced different cultures and accepted people from all walks of life. Many people have a strong sense of belonging to Hong Kong and try to protect their homes.

The movie delves into the human spirit amid chaos. Despite the inevitable demolition of structures like the Kowloon Walled City to make way for modernity, we’re reminded by Shin, played by Terrance Lau: “Whatever happens [if it gets destroyed or not], I still believe that there is something that will not change.”

What is that “something” that will endure? It’s the vibrant spirit of life and the heroes’ sacrifices for their homes. Even though the Kowloon Walled City is gone, any place can become a Kowloon Walled City when we hold onto our spirit.

What is that “something” in your own life that you believe may hold true even when physical places change? How can we carry forward that spirit to the place we call home? These are the questions that Twilight of the Warrior: Walled in prompts us to ponder. Join us in this journey of reflection and discovery by watching this movie, a powerful representation of the history and spirit of Hong Kong.

Aadya Dusad, Island School

Teenagers are nurtured to believe that we must succeed early on in life. Growing up, there’s often an expectation of winning awards, getting top grades, enrolling in the best school and more. Unfortunately, this can be emotionally taxing. Despite popular belief, there is no right age to succeed, and recent pop stars have proven that.

Sabrina Carpenter, Disney-actress-turned-pop-sensation, has been releasing music since she was 15. Still, it wasn’t until her fifth studio album, Emails I Can’t Send, that she finally began showing up on the radio. And it wasn’t until her 27th single, “Please, Please, Please”, that she finally topped the chart of Billboard Hot 100.

Last year, when she won Variety’s Rising Star award, she spoke about how she was often compared to a tortoise by her parents and friends, alluding to the famous fable of “The Tortoise and the Hare”. In the story, a proud hare deems himself faster than the tortoise and challenges him to a race; the hare recklessly takes a nap in between, believing the tortoise could never win, but by the time he wakes up, the tortoise has already crossed the finish line.

Carpenter remarked that she was frequently told to “calm down” because she was a “tortoise” and her time would come. The “Espresso” singer claimed how infuriating those comments used to be, but she gradually realised that being a tortoise was better than being a hare.

Having a “slow rise” mindset doesn’t mean laziness, but accepting the fact that every step forward you take, no matter how small, is already an accomplishment. Everyone moves at their own pace, and there is no one-size-fits-all template you can follow to success.

Another example of this lies in the career of Charli XCX, who is famous for her hyper-pop work and being the founder of 2024’s summer trend “Brat Girl Summer”. Despite her recent popularity, the Grammy-nominated artist hasn’t always been the talk of the town. Her sixth project, Brat, is Charli’s first album to make it to the top three on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart.

The singer has finally received her flowers at 31, which is relatively late for the entertainment industry. Charli’s music doesn’t fit the bubble of mainstream pop, but that hasn’t stopped her from paving her way to success.

Comparison is toxic for your emotional health, and nothing good ever comes out of it. Just because someone has achieved something at a younger age doesn’t mean you are falling behind – everything happens at its own pace, and it is critical to trust the process and yourself.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to being successful on your own terms, and it’s high time to stop comparing yourself to a peer who seems to be ahead of you.