Chapter 2, Claire Brewster, “Changing Impressing of Mexico for the 1968 Games”
Summary: According to the author, Mexicans used the ’68 games to change what people thought about their race and the country as a whole. The country had struggled for long to present itself as a modern country, and they used the Olympics Games to promote this perspective.
Main Idea: Chapter 2 argues that the bid to host the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City was won by people of high status in the country as they sought to promote a new image about their country.
Argument Structure: The chapter provides all issues surrounding the ’68 Olympics in different topics:
The Force behind the Bid
Brewster uses this chapter to explain how people of high status in Mexico pushed to host the Olympics Games as they sought to promote their country in the international arena. The influence of these people saw the country win over first-world countries (p.26).
- The president of the IOC, Avery Brundage was in favor of Mexico hosting the Games and his influence on other IOC members increased the chances of the country winning the bid (p.25)
International Concerns of Mexico in 1968
The country experience racist accusation that led to disagreements between the top leaders about hosting the Olympic Games in Mexico. The Mexicans and IOC committee faced a lot of challenges even after deciding to hold the games in the Mexican City.
- Many people questioned why the city was awarded the games with an elevation of 7359 feet above sea level and high levels of pollution (p. 29).
The Public Perspective about Mexico
Mexican sought to promote their culture and creating a better status in the international arena as a developed country. The main aim for the country, according to Webster was not to win the Games but to promote Mexico from a new perspective, and come out as an elite country (p. 42).
- “Mexico wishes to show its true image to the world… we want to make known our progress in the fields of science and technology…” (37-38).
The arguments in this chapter are in line with the journal’s purpose since they represent the perspectives and ideas promoted by the Mexican culture and others around the world, during the ’68 Olympics. The author contributes to this by expounding on such perspectives, from the middle class to first-class countries, and how other countries felt about a low-class country hosting a world-class event. Through this and many more, the author touches on why most middle-class countries