The whole world is gearing up for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which are being held in PyeongChang, South Korea, starting February 8. The opening ceremony will be held on February 9, and the games will end on February 25. Many of these events will be hosted at the Alpensia Sports Park, which is part of the Alpensia Resort. The Winter Olympics will have fifteen different sports, seven taking place on the slopes, and the other eight taking place on the ice. These fifteen sports will have 102 events, giving athletes the chance to win either a bronze, silver, or gold medals which each have a unique design. The medals have gold, silver, and bronze edges with consonants written in the Hangul Alphabet translated to “PyeongChang Winter Olympics.” The ribbon colors will be light red and teal representing “the delicate and refined beauty of Korea.”

Even though the Olympics are supposed to represent fairness, a recent investigation by the International Olympic Committee found the Russians to be guilty of a doping scandal from 2014. They have been banned from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics as a consequence.

 Currently, the qualification events are still being held and will be released sporadically as different sports compete to see who will be on Team USA. However, if you are interested in keeping up with the qualifications, https://www.teamusa.org/pyeongchang-2018-olympic-winter-games and then under the Olympic Team Trials tab, you can find qualifications for each sport as they are released.

 Although the Olympics are a symbol of the athleticism, peace is a main characteristic promoted by the International Olympic Committee, also known as the IOC, which was organized to protect athletes, competitive sport and to keep peace. During the Olympics, the IOC encourages political leaders to act peacefully and even works with organizations such as the United Nations to help leaders put their differences aside to seek unity. The Olympic Truce, a treaty protecting athletes and the competitive sport, has a symbol of dove which demonstrates harmony. The Olympic Treaty states, “Create a window of opportunity for dialogue and reconciliation separate from any religious, economic, or political influence.”

 These motives are seen by many, including Team USA. Despite ticket sales being down due to North Korean weapon tests and United States’ tensions with North Korea, Team USA will participate in the Winter Olympics. Numerous reports have shown the athletes have little fear of going to South Korea because they trust the government will act in their best interests in keeping them safe. To athletes, the Winter Olympics are more than just the sport they compete in, but are also about being the face of their nation in representing unity. This is witnessed by junior Alyssa Scinta who said, “The Winter Olympics hit home for my family since we are from the North and used to do things leisurely like that. As a professional figure skater and former synchronized figure skater, it is fun to see regular people watch a sport I am passionate about.”

 The 2018 Winter Olympics and all the athletes are heading towards great success this February, but the underlying goal of the Olympics is to promote worldwide peace on an international scale. So, when February 8th comes around, remember to turn on your  TV to NBC to watch the Olympics broadcast live. As you watch, do not only watch the sport, but also feel the sense of unity behind it all.