Blood in the Water: The 1956 Olympics Down Under

About the Committee:

The 1956 Melbourne Olympics opened on a stage like no other. For the first time ever, the Olympics are being held in Australia, plaguing it with countless logistical challenges. But these seem to be the least of its issues, as multiple geopolitical conflicts cause a rise of tensions between countries, including the Soviet Union’s invasion into Hungary, the People’s Republic of China’s refusal to allow Taiwan to compete under its own flag, and several countries threatening to boycott due to the global response to the Suez crisis. While athletes compete under these political circumstances, individual controversies continue to strike the Olympic events, some more violent than others. As nations compete to prove who should be the ultimate Olympic winner in unprecedented times, the IOC must fight for the success of the games–and do so without getting blood in the water.

A LETTER FROM THE DaiS:

Hi everyone! I’m Itunu Olagbaiye, and I’m super excited to be co-directing my first Non-Trad MUNUM committee! I’m a junior studying Business Administration at the Ross School of Business with a minor in Creative Writing, and this is my second year as a member of MUNUM. Outside of MUNUM, I am a Rank Leader Candidate within the Flags for the Michigan Marching Band and a member of MECC Consulting Group. In my free time, I love writing (obviously), dissecting media, hanging out with my friends, and finding niche study spots on campus! It’s been a great experience working with Katelyn on this committee, and I can’t wait to see how you guys take the topics into your own hands during committee! Reach out to us at any time; our emails are open. See you in January!

Hello guys! I’m Katelyn Threlkeld, and I’m thrilled to be your other co-director for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics Non-Trad! This is my second year in MUNUM and my first time directing a committee after being a rapporteur last conference. I am currently a junior double majoring in International Studies and Environment (PitE) with a minor in French. Besides being in MUNUM, I am currently an editor for the Michigan Foreign Policy Council. In my free time, I love to swim, read, try out new coffee shops in Ann Arbor, and travel to new places. Itunu and I have put a lot of work into making this committee the best it can be, and we hope that it’s as fun as possible for you guys. I can’t wait to see you in January and watch as you go for gold in debate! Feel free to reach out with any questions. 

We are so excited to see you in a land down under and find out who will be taking home the gold. If you have questions about anything leading up to the conference, we are available at iolagbai@umich.edu and ktlynt@umich.edu.

Best,

Itunu and Katelyn, Co-Directors of Blood in the Water: The 1956 Olympics Down Under