If a participating city-state would engage in any conflict and violate the truce, they were given stiff fines and forbidden from competing in the games. Something which was considered a big disgrace.

There is a modern movement created to uphold the Olympic Truce. The United Nations have adopted the “Olympic Truce Resolution” for the Beijing 2008 games. Yet we see two of the countries competing in the games at this moment, Georgia and Russia, engaging in military conflicts over land disputes in South Ossetia.

A land dispute which has been ongoing for more than 15 years, since Ossetian separatists started a fight for independence from Georgia in 1991-1992.

And for some reason, it had to escalate to armed conflicts over innocent civilians now, during the Olympic Games. Of course, I am not saying that should problems arise a country should just be “non-violent” and not defend it’s sovereignty.The political agenda here seems to be far more complicated and sinister in this case. Both parts could have tried diplomacy before waging war on one another. That did not happen. It was a “fight first, and then make pleas for sympathy to our cause to the international community”.

There should be more education on what the Olympic Truce is about, and nations need to start respecting it again. If we cannot respect and uphold peace for a couple of weeks every four years, what kind of civilization is this we’re supposed to have produced for ourselves. How hostile and unstable modern society has become?

I can only hope these conflicts will soon seize, and that the two countries will follow the example of their athletes and reconcile.