The Olympics And National Pride

United States’ Boris Berian holds the U.S. flag after he won the men’s 800-meter sprint final during the World Indoor Athletics Championships, in Portland, Ore.
The United States' Boris Berian holds the U.S. flag after he won the men's 800-meter sprint final during the World Indoor Athletics Championships, in Portland, Ore. Rick Bowmer / AP File
United States’ Boris Berian holds the U.S. flag after he won the men’s 800-meter sprint final during the World Indoor Athletics Championships, in Portland, Ore.
The United States' Boris Berian holds the U.S. flag after he won the men's 800-meter sprint final during the World Indoor Athletics Championships, in Portland, Ore. Rick Bowmer / AP File

The Olympics And National Pride

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The Olympics don’t just pit athlete against athlete— they also pit nation against nation. 

And many of us watching at home have found ourselves rooting for a particular swimmer or gymnast simply because of the country they represent. 

The modern Olympic Games have been organized along national lines since early on, so we take a look at the meaning of the flags, the anthems and nationalism at the Olympics with Alan Bairner, professor of sport and social theory at Loughborough University.

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