When the Winter Olympics become a moral quandary: Soundside

What does it mean to be a good person?

It's not a question you'd expect someone to be asking themselves when they're deciding whether or not to watch the Olympic Games. But this year, that question's feeling more relevant than ever.

The Opening Ceremony for the Beijing Winter Olympics is just over a week away. Traditionally, these events bring a lot of political good will. But not this time around.

The U.S. and several other countries have announced their diplomats won't be attending the games over China's record of human rights abuses. But athletes and coaches are still encouraged to attend, and the games will still air on television.

That leaves many wondering: should I watch this year? Or should I be boycotting the games too?

Soundside spoke to four people that are determining that for themselves.

Seattle curling club sees a big boost after every Winter Olympics

Watching the Winter Olympics is how Phil Shyrock got involved with curling.

"Curling has really gone from this esoteric thing I wanted to try once upon a time to something that kind of dominates my life from a social perspective," Shyrock said.

The sport brought Shylock new friends, including current club president, Lori Markham. It also brought a deeper connection to the Olympics — the U.S. national curling coach goes to Granite Curling. Both Markham and Shylock are friends with other Olympic curlers as well.

So, when they consider whether or not to watch the games, it comes down to supporting their curling family.

"It feels a lot like nobody cares about what the athletes have done to get to that point," Markham said. "That makes me angry. Does it prevent me from watching? No. But when in the quiet moments when I'm by myself, and I'm thinking about it, those are the things that I think about."

To Markham and Shyrock, choosing between their friends or their political beliefs feels unfair. How do you decide what's right? Or what to stand behind?

For both curlers, it's about the personal connection they've made through the sport, and seeing a sport they love on the big screen.

For Alex Tang, being a good person means paying attention

Tang is a teacher at Seattle Central College. He attended the 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, and organized supporting demonstrations here in Seattle.

He says you can't separate the games and the politics. Even if you're an athlete.

"They're being complicit in regards to what is happening with human rights injustices and violations, and China, and what the Communist Chinese party is doing," Tang said. "And it's just really upsetting for me. Because while I understand their position, like they've been training all their life, you need to look at the optics and the political welfare between the U.S. and China. And I see where these athletes are coming from. But there's a bright line, there's a line that should not be caught crossed."

Tang watched the Olympics last time they were in Beijing, back in 2008. But he says this year, he'll be keeping his distance.

Libby Ludlow says to athletes, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity

Ludlow is a 2006 Olympic alpine skier. Nowadays she's a leadership consultant and children’s book author.

And she says many of these athletes have been working towards these games for years. You want to take the chance to be in the Olympics when you have it, because it might not happen again.

"Particularly as a winter athlete, you only have a small window of time when your body is at its peak form. For many of these athletes, these Beijing Olympics are going to be their shot, whether it's the only Olympics they go to, or the only Olympics that they'll go to when they're kind of in peak physical form."

Ludlow says she will be watching this year's Olympic Games. Because, she says, the world deserves a moment of unity. Even if it comes with political tensions.

"I feel like the world actually deserves to have this one positive occasion that we can all actually look to for inspiration. After all the Olympic values are excellence, respect and friendship. I mean, if we can look to that demonstration of courage and effort and skill, and passion and remarkable athleticism in their purest form, we have an opportunity to draw inspiration from that. I think that our world could really benefit from that right now."