Joe Rogan recently reiterated his stance that the Olympic Games are primarily profit-driven ventures for the major investors that back them, while the athletes themselves receive negligible monetary compensation.
The Olympic Games stand as the pinnacle of global sporting events, drawing thousands of top-class athletes from across the globe to compete in an extensive array of competitions every four years.
The 33rd Summer Olympics are currently taking place in Paris, France. Since the opening ceremony on July 26, this year's games have been shrouded in controversy. The organizers have had to apologize for certain performances held along the River Seine that were seen by many as blasphemous. Critics argue that these acts parodied Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, "The Last Supper."
However, the veteran UFC color commentator has a different bone to pick with the Olympics, primarily revolving around the meager financial rewards for the participating athletes...
Rogan Lambasts Olympic Stakeholders For Creating Unfavorable System For Athletes
During a recent episode of his JRE MMA Show, featuring UFC light heavyweight fighter Khalil Rountree as the guest, Rogan once again leveled scathing criticism at the modern Olympics and its underlying system.
The 56-year-old MMA commentator claimed that the substantial revenue generated by stakeholders and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from these events fails to benefit the athletes who actually perform. He accused the Olympic leadership of exploiting athletes while reaping enormous financial rewards.
The Olympics is a giant scam," Rogan said. "There are two things going on simultaneously, okay? You have the best athletes in the world participating in their disciplines. And then on top of that, you have enormous amounts of money being made, and none of it's going to the athletes. It is a giant scam.
Rogan further blasted the apparent parody of "The Last Supper" painting, asserting that it was deliberately crafted to offend religious sentiments.
So the kind of people that are putting together that ridiculous ceremony, we got a bunch of drag queens in 'The Last Supper' that nobody understands because it's not made by athletes, it's not made by the Olympics, it's made by the people that are in charge of putting the Olympics out. So they're the ones who are reaping all the money and sucking all the cash out of these athletes.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games mark a groundbreaking first, as the IOC will directly compensate winning athletes, awarding $50,000 to each gold medalist.
Until this year, athletes typically relied on personal sponsorships for their income and received financial backing from their national Olympic organizations.