China After Beijing Olympics: A Recast Of China's Global Outlook?

The field of International Relations interconnects with mega events and sports on issues of identity, inequality (race, gender) and above all power (national development). (Frey and Eitzen 1991). Experience shows that, international sporting competition while holding the attention of large number of audiences, in multiple countries and thus conveying to them highly symbolic messages with their visible nationalistic elements (flags, uniforms), as well as giving commentators and propagandist opportunity to interpret team accomplishments as a test of national character and image, hence linking the high level international events inextricably with international politics.This paper, aims at examining the dimension of association between sports and International Relations, of how major sports games can be a booster for political legitimization and strategic factor in enhancing a nations image, drawing experience from a number of example from different nations that have so far had an opportunity to host mega events of prestigious status such as Olympics, but for the purpose of this study, focus will be from of East Asia, that is (Tokyo and Seoul Olympics) experience.Hosting mega events of first level provides host nations opportunity to regain lost identities, regenerating of a nation's image especially those coming from unfavorable regimes, sports again from history has acted as a strategy of détente among nations with hostility.Many examples from different articles and journals have been put forward to explain the assumption of how sports can be an alternative and effective model to bring different state interest together peacefully, Sino-US détente was facilitated by sports and it gained a name of"ping pong diplomacy"(Gerald Chan 1985), the games followed president Nixon surprise visit to China 1978.It was sports that brought legitimization of the Nazi regime through the 1936 Berlin Olympics. 1995 rugby world cup brought apartheid regime reconciliation in South Africa.In the East Asia alike sports had brought a rebirth of Japan, (Tokyo Olympics 1964) a once feared nation emerge as a new peaceful nation. In Seoul summer Olympics, as it was hoped, to boost government legitimacy at home and burnish the country's image (as authoritarian/ military regime) abroad, as well as to show case the new South Korea Economical miracle.Likewise China bidding for, and hosting the Olympics was a chance for Chinese leaders to reinforce their national goal, show casing the achievement of thirty years since opening up policy was adopted, the World publicized event is hoped as well to act as a powerful tool for China to demonstrate its acceptability to the international community, As well as successfully hosting of the Olympics offers the Chinese regime a strategic way to enhance and regenerate the image of China, so that the world can have a better understanding of China and eventually earning international acceptance it aspires.These two East Asian case studies are used as a comparative analogy to show case that in the essence international sports, can be another vehicle in bringing changes to host nations especially those that have identity crisis. The complexities brought about by hegemonic powers of the west made such that, all human kind should follow their model of civilization and without that you're not accepted in the international community.