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The Olympics have a long history of countries and participants using the games as a platform to build soft power, promote propaganda, advance diplomacy, and highlight political causes. These efforts can take hopeful forms, such as the 2016 creation of the Refugee Olympic Team and the role of the 2018 Olympics in boosting diplomacy between North Korea and South Korea. Sometimes, these events can be very dark, such as Nazi Germany’s shrewd use of propaganda while hosting the 1936 games and the 1972 terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team. Throughout the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union frequently used the Olympics to exhibit their rivalry. In more recent times, China has used the games to polish its international image, while Russia has been banned from several Olympics due to doping scandals and its violation of Ukrainian sovereignty — although Russian athletes have been allowed to compete as neutral individuals.As the 2026 Winter Olympics wraps up and final medal count is in, we asked three experts to assess how key countries — whether through official government efforts or unofficial acts by athletes and other stakeholders — used these games to promote their interests.Read more below.Sim Sim Wissgott Independent Sports JournalistThe International Olympic Committee has always claimed that politics have no place in sports, but it shot itself in the foot by banning Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for wearing a helmet depicting athletes killed since the start of Russia’s invasion. In doing so, it triggered more widespread support for Ukraine than had it said nothing. This was an action that originated from one athlete, not in Kyiv. But it was quickly followed by tributes from other athletes. And it launched a debate around the world over the justness of the Olympic rules and where the line is between political statement